SUCCESSFUL GARDENING 
^Continued from page 4) 
Pay particular attention to depth of planting-. Seeds often fail 
to come up from being covered too shallow or too deep. Early in 
the spring when the soil is moist, seeds should not be covered as 
deep as later in the season when the ground dries out more quickly. 
As a rule, the smaller the seed, the shallower the depth of planting 
and this applies to small flower seeds as well as vegetables. If not 
familiar with the soil temperature required for germination of each 
kind of seed, study our cultural directions or ask some experienced 
gardener in your neighborhood. Some seeds like parsnip cannot be 
made to grow well after the ground becomes too warm. On the 
other hand, watermelon seed if planted in cold wet ground will rot. 
If rains occur after the seeds are sown and a crust forms, this 
should be carefully broken, otherwise the tender plants will not be 
able to get through to the surface. Some seeds are slow to germi¬ 
nate and these should be sown thickly in order that the plantlets 
may break the crust on the soil. It is a good plan to sow a few 
quick germinating seeds such as radish, cabbage or turnip with slow 
germinating celery, parsnip, carrot and the like. This will mark 
the row for early cultivation and help break the soil crust. 
CULTIVATION soon as plants in the row can be seen, begin 
cultivating very shallow and close as possible 
without damaging the plants. Away from the 
plants, deeper cultivation should be practiced, gradually lessening 
this as the plants grow to avoid root injury. Cultivate and hoe 
often enough so that you are cultivating the soil instead of plough¬ 
ing out weeds. If under irrigation, water often enough to keep the 
soil in good moist condition; do not oversoak. Cultivate at least 
once between each irrigation until the crop is laid by. 
HOTBEDS Some provision for starting certain plants earlier than 
in the open air is desirable. A hotbed will All this need 
and pay for itself many times over. First class hardy 
plants can easily be grown and the surplus may be sold to your 
neighbors. 
Construction is not expensive or difficult. It is well to plan unit 
sizes which are generally six feet wide and three feet long since 
regular hotbed sash comes in three by six feet size. If sash is not 
available locally, write and we will tell you where this can be pur¬ 
chased. The frame can be built for one or more sash as needed. Use 
good lumber, making the north side 12 inches high and sloping to 
8 inches high on the south. One by four, or two by four pieces 
should be fitted flatwise across the inside of the frame flush at the 
top to form a joint between the sash and properly support them, or 
better still use grooved slides for this purpose. 
The pit should be dug about two feet deep, six feet wide and 
as long as needed for the size bed desired. In districts where rain¬ 
fall is light, boarding up the sides of the pit is unnecessary. The 
pit should always be in a well drained location. 
The best heating material that is available is fresh horse 
manure containing a liberal quantity of straw bedding. What is 
wanted in the hotbed is a steady but moderate lasting heat. To 
secure this, the manure should be forked over, shaken apart and if 
dry, watered and allowed to begin heating the second time. The 
object being to get the whole mass into a uniform degree of fer¬ 
mentation. As soon as this is accomplished it is fit for use. When 
filling the pit, carefully spread each forkful of manure, treading 
it down so as to make the bed as uniform as possible in solidity, 
composition and moisture. Good garden soil should be filled in, as 
shown in the accompanying illustration, to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. 
Soon fermentation will start and an excessive heat will prevail for 
about a week. If seeds are planted at once this high temperature 
may be disastrous. 
The essentials for success are a steady uniform degree of heat 
and moisture. In colder climates it is well to bank up with soil 
around the outside of the frame to make it air tight. 
^Continued on page 6 ) 
See page 100 for Special Prices to Market Grotvers. 
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