DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 
13 
The bed completed, the frame and sash may be put on and then it should be allowed to stand a few days with 
the sash partially open to allow the steam arid rank heat to pass off. The heat will at first be quite violent, fre¬ 
quently raising in the first few days to 120°, but it soon subsides, and when it recedes to 90* the earth may be put 
in and the seed planted. If from any reason you are obliged to use frozen soil, it may be placed in small piles upon 
the manure immediately upon the completion of the bed, but it should not be again disturbed until it has thawed 
and dried out, and care should be used to give free vent for the escape of the steam and moist air. The importance 
of allowing this gross heat to pass off before planting the seeds is very great, as every season thousands of hot-beds 
are failures and their builders blame the seedsmen for sending them poor seed, when the real difficulty was that 
their seeds were burned up by this first heat. 
MANAGEMENT OF THE BED.—The essentials for success are a steady, uniform degree of heat and 
moisture ; keeping the soil at all times a fatv degrees warmer than the air. and the careful “ hardening off ” (by ex¬ 
posure to the air and diminishing the supply of water) of the plants before transplanting into the open air. Simple 
as these seem to be, there are many difficulties in the way of securing them, prominent among which are overheat¬ 
ing the air under a bright sun. Without experience, one would scarcely believe how quickly the temperature 
inside of a well built hot-bed will rise to 90 or ico degrees upon a still, sunny day even with the thermometer outside 
is far below freezing, or how quickly the temperature will fall to . hat outside, if upon a windy, cloudy day the sash »s 
left open ever so little ; besides such a rush of cold air driven over the plants is far more injurious than the same 
temperature when the air is still. Again, a bed will go several days without watering when kept closed during 
cloudy weather, but will dry out in an hour when open on a sunny day. The details of management, however, must 
be learned by experience, but may be easily acquired by one who gives the matter careful attention, keeping con¬ 
stantly in mind the essentials given above. 
A COLD FRAME is asimplc construction of boards for wintering cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, brocoli, etc., 
for planting out'early in the spring. 
Select a dry, southern exposure ; form a frame from four to six feet wide and as long as required. The back 
should be fourteen and the front six inches high, with a cross tie every six feet. Seeds of the above named veg¬ 
etables, sown in open holders early in September, will be ready to plant in cold frames about the last of October. 
The soil should be well prepared and smoothly raked before planting. Admit air freely on all pleasant days, but 
keep close in severe weather. 
TRANSPLANTING.— In transplanting, the main points to be regarded are care in taking up the plants so 
as to avoid injury to the roots, planting firmly so as to enable the plant to take a secure hold of the soil, reducing 
the top to prevent evaporation, and shading to prevent the hot sun from withering and blighting the leaves. It is 
most apt to be successful if done just at evening or immediately before or during the first part of a rain, about the 
worst time being just after a rain, when the ground being wet it is impossible to sufficiently press it about the plant 
without its baking hard. If water is used at all, it should be used freely and the wet surface immediately covered 
with dry soil. + 
WATERING. —The best time to water plants is at sunrise or just at evening, and always use rain water when 
it is to be had. If well water must be used it should be exposed to the sun a day or two till it rises to the tempera¬ 
ture of the air before it is applied. Water may be given to the roots at any time, but should never be sprinkled 
over the leaves in the hot sun, for it will make them blister and cover them with brown spots wherever it touches. 
If watering a plant has been commenced, keep on until the necessity ceases, or more injury than good will result 
from it ; one copious watering is better than a little and often. The use of the hoe should always follow the water¬ 
ing pot as soon as the ground becomes dry. 
TABLES. 
Quantity of Seed required to produce a given number of Plants, or sow- 
quantity of ground. 
on a given 
Artichoke. 
Asparagus. 
Beans, Dwarf .. 
“ Pole 
Beet .... 
Brocoli. 
Brussels Sprouts 
Cabbage. 
Carrot . 
Cauliflower. 
Celery. 
Chicory. 
Collards. 
Corn. 
Cress. 
Cucumber. 
Egg Plant. 
Endive.. 
Garlic (bulbs)... 
Gourd.... 
Kale. 
Kohl Rabi. 
Lettuce. 
1 oz. to 500 plants. 
1 oz. to 60 feet drill. 
1 qt. to 150 feet drill 
or 300 hills. 
1 qt. to 200 hills. 
1 oz. to 100 feet drill. 
1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 
1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 
1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 
1 oz. to 250 feet drill. 
1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 
1 oz. to 10,000 plants. 
1 oz. to 100 feet drill. 
1 oz. to 2,500 plants. 
1 qt. to 500 hills. 
1 oz. to 150 feet drill. 
1 oz. to 80 hills. 
. 1 oz. to 2,000 plants.. 
1 oz. to 300 feet drill. 
1 lb to 10 feet drill. 
. 1 oz. to 25 hills. 
1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 
. 1 oz. to 200 feet drill. 
. x oz. to 10,000 plants 
or 250 feet drill. 
Leek. 
oz. 
to 
250 
feet drill. 
Marjoram . 
oz. 
to 
10,000 plants. 
Martynia. 
oz. 
to 
50 
feet drill. 
Melon, Musk. 
oz. 
to 
100 
hills. 
“ Water. 
.1 
oz. 
to 
25 
hills. 
Nasturtium . 
oz. 
to 
50 
feet drill. 
Okra... 
oz. 
to 
50 
feet drill. 
Onion Seed. .. 
oz. 
to 
200 
feet drill. 
“ Tops or Sets. 
qt. 
to 
20 
feet drill. 
Parsnip . 
oz. 
to 
250 
feet drill. 
Parsley. 
oz. 
to 
200 
feet drill. 
Peas . .. 
qt. 
to 
150 
feet drill. 
Pepper.. 
oz. 
to 
x,5Co 
plants. 
Pumpkin. 
qt. 
to 
400 
hills. 
Radish. 
oz. 
to 
150 
feet drill. 
Salsify. 
oz. 
to 
60 
feet drill. 
Sage. 
oz. 
to 
250 
feet drill. 
Spmacfc. 
oz. 
to 
* 5 ° 
feet drill. 
Savory. 
oz. 
to 
500 
feet drill. 
Squash, Summer. 
Winter. 
oz. 
to 
40 
hills. 
oz. 
to 
10 
hills. 
Tomato. 
oz. 
to 
5.000 
plants. 
Tobacco. 
oz. 
to 
10,000 plants. 
Turnip.. 
oz. 
to 
250 
feet drill. 
