4 
CROSMAN BROTHERS' CA TALOG UE. 
USEFUL HINTS TO THE AMATEUR. 
Sowing the Seed and Preparing the Soil.—These are very important matters 
and care should be taken to have your seed-bed finely raked . free from all rubbish 
ana lumps , and well enriched with well-rotted manure, also not to sow seed too 
early , or in other words, until the soil becomes sufficiently ivarm and dry , so that it 
will work mellow and crumble to pieces when struck with the spade. Do not 
attempt to raise fine Flowers or good Vegetables on a poor soil; always keep a heap 
of manure on hand for the next season, when it will be thoroughly rotted and ready 
for use. If these points are overlooked, and the seed sown too early, it is apt to rot 
or perish, and consequently involves a loss and sad disappointment on the part of the 
cultivator, and is not the fault of the seeds or seedsman, to whom it is unjustly laid a 
great many times. However, in all cases, follow as nearly as possible the directions 
of each variety, as given in the Catalogue, and you will have a marked success. 
The Hot-Bed.— Seeds sown in hot¬ 
beds are very certain of success, if the 
proper care and treatment have been 
exercised in the construction and man¬ 
agement of the bed. The first thing 
necessary is to select a sheltered situation 
for your bed, then dig out a pit ten or 
twelve inches deep, and about one foot 
wider than the sides and ends of the 
frame to be used : the next in order is 
the heating material , which should be fresh horse dung from the stable, and should 
be thrown into a conical pile ; when a lively fermentation has taken place, which 
will be indicated by the escape of steam from the pile, it should be again turned over 
and formed into a pile, and let remain so until the second fermentation occurs, 
w’hich will be usually in two or three days. It is now ready to spread in the pit. 
Beat down evenly with the back of the fork, so that it is uniformly of the same 
solidity; it should be two feet deep. The sash is now placed on the frames and kept 
closed until the heat rises. At this time a thermometer plunged into the heating 
material should indicate about 100 degrees , but this is too hot for any vegetable 
growth; as soon as the heat has subsided, which it will do in about three days, 
providing the heating material has been properly prepared, and the thermometer 
indicates 90 degrees, soil should be spread regularly over the surface of the bed to 
the depth of five or six inches, and should be good loam. After a couple of days the 
seed may be sown, and great care and attention is required to prevent the young 
plants from scorching by the hot rays of the sun. When the sun shines very brightly 
the heat becomes intense, and to prevent scorching the plants, air must be freely 
admitted, and by giving the glass a thin coat of whitewash all will be made safe : 
covering up at night is also very essential, and also that the soil never be allowed to 
get dry, sprinkle gently with lukewarm water. The two most essential points in the 
management of hot-beds are, covering up at night, and admitting air during the day, 
as sometimes the whole contents of a bed is lost by one cold night or hot day. 
Transplanting.—After the plants in the hot-bed or seed-bed in the garden have 
obtained their second leaves, and made an inch or two of growth, they should be 
removed to the garden beds or borders where they are designed to remain. This 
