42 
the a 
merican 
SEABOIfABLE HUfTS. 
''Does it my to make a hot-hedf” : 
question whieh presents itself to 
our readers at this season. The answer to 
this depends largely upon what we expeo 
as our pay. If the sole object is to raise a 
few hundred vegetable plants for trans¬ 
planting to the open ground in^ a. sma 
family garden, these can proba,bly be ob¬ 
tained easier and cheaper by bu:^ig them of 
those who make a business of raising plants. 
To make a hot-bed pay, it requires also 
proper and frequent care, and where this 
eaimot bo given we would not attempt to 
make one. Without prompt and punctual 
attention to tho opening and closing of the 
sashes, watering, weeding, and thinning out 
of the plants, a hot-bed can never be made 
a success j while, on the other hand, "with 
proper care, such a structure can be made 
the most interesting and profitable part of 
the garden—profitable in more than money 
value only. The delight and satisfaction 
derived from the first bunch of Badishes or 
Lettuce raised in one’s own hot-bed is in¬ 
finitely greater than a bushel of bought vege¬ 
tables can afford. 
Frames, although easily and cheaply made 
by any one that can handle a saw and ham¬ 
mer, seem sometimes difficult to procure. 
In the English horticultural journals we find 
ready-made frames of various sizes and 
shapes advertised. These are so arranged 
that they can readily be taken apart, packed 
compactly together for shipment, and put 
up again by any one, in a few minutes. They 
are light and yet substantial, and are fast¬ 
ened together with hooks and staples. If 
our sash-makers would furnish something 
similar, adapted to the needs of amateurs, 
they would, no doubt, find large sales. 
Potatoes in Pots. The usual way of for¬ 
warding Potatoes earlier than those planted 
directly in the open ground consists in start¬ 
ing the sets in a hot-bed or in shallow boxes 
in a warm room, and transferring the plants to 
the open ground as soon as the season per¬ 
mits. The principal difficulty in this case is 
that, in transplanting, frequently a good 
portion of the roots become lacerated, and 
the young plants wilt and suffer in conse¬ 
quence. To avoid this we planted last year 
a number of single eyes in three-inch pots 
and placed them in a moderate hot-bed. 
They grew so rapidly that they had to be 
shifted into larger pots before tho ground 
was in proper condition to receive them and 
when finally set out, they had already fomed 
a good many young Potatoes. They grew 
.vigorously ^thout a sign of wilting and 
matured fully a month before the cLliest 
ones planted directly outdoors. This plan is 
of course, not feasible on a large scL, bui 
for one s own use it is quite satisfactory and 
weU worth the trouble of raising a few hills 
neFarm Garden is too frequent y ^’ 
glected until all the field crops arc planted 
or at best receives only a little snLrfickl 
be sT" Tho”^'^ moments. This shLld not 
oe so. Tho garden is entitled to 
and principal care, for it is heil tW 
tenanco is raised for i. 
farm 
against the price of which the value o/lh 
entire farm is but a grain of sand ’ ^ 
For the two hot-bed s®*®® 
ordinary family gar ' three, wil ® 
of the should be started 
sufficient. One o h _ of 
at first; the proper time latitudes, 
com-se, according ° Cabbage may be 
In a climate Aprfi, the hot-bed 
set out by the ui^ddk 0^ P 
should be ready to lecene 
7th of March. inches deep, should 
Six boxes 01 tiays, to as will com- 
ba*e Early Cauliflower, and two varieties of 
Jomatoes,-sowing the latter across _th 
box, wdth the Cabbage or Cauliflo^ei 
either end. Place this box across the mid¬ 
dle of the hot-bed, and the Beets and Let¬ 
tuce on either side. A fom-th box may be 
sown ivith the hardier flowering annuals, 
like Phlox Drummondii, Verbena, etc. 
If the heat is sufficient, the Cabbages and 
Cauliflowers will be ready to transplant m 
from two to three weeks, and should be 
pricked into the two vacant boxes. The 
Tomatoes may be transplanted into the 
same box in which they greiv, placing the 
plants thi-ee inches apart. This will give 
forty-eight plants to each box, which is a 
sufficient number of plants for a family 
garden. 
About two weeks later, it will be neces¬ 
sary to harden off all plants except the 
Tomatoes and the flowers. The other sash 
should be brought in readiness by this time, 
and the two boxes containing Tomatoes and 
flowers transferred to this. The space left 
vacant in the flrst hot-bed may be covered 
with Potatoes cut in halves, laid cut-side 
down, and covered wdth four inches of rich 
earth. By the time frosty nights are nearly 
over, these Potatoes will have formed bushy 
plants, five or six inches high, with little 
tubers at the bottom as large as Peas. 
These plants, if carefully transplanted in a 
warm soil, will bo two weeks earlier than 
those from sets planted in the open air. 
"When the Cabbages, Cauliflow^ers, Beets and 
Lettuce are transplanted to tho garden, the 
space made vacant can be used for starting 
Sweet Potatoes, Dahlias, Cannas, etc., or a 
couple of hills of Cucumbers may bo planted. 
The unoccupied part of tho now bed may 
w '^'■«”gLiraaBeans, Squashes, 
Water and Musk Melons, Egg Plants, and 
Cucumbers, m three-inch flower pots. By 
hilling these ivith rich compost, and planting 
two seeds in each pot, a gain of two or thret 
weeks can bo secured, which in backward 
seasons and northern localities wilfofte 
the chfferenco between a er^ 
nutirol «sidr 
weeds. A hill of Wni ™’*''’™otli 
“ I™".™:;:,;' 
«hoots which are foni^In’ Z Z 
rose bulbs, if planted k 
about Juno 1st and i ^ liot-bod 
September and oarlj OdnbZ'^-n “ 
increase in size as to bi 
season. " tlio folloivi 
DBILI OK EABD SEEDDrs, 
To the gardener who has never giy 
a trial it would be a surprise to see*h 
much evener and straighter seed can 
sown with a good seed-drill than by h 
Seed-drills effect not only a saving of 
in sowing, but also of time in doing^t^ 
work, and more than all in the time ne *** 
sary for cultivation. They reaUy prod?®' 
better crops because they sow the seed m ** 
evenly in a straight row, and in a aZ 
narrower line than can possibly be done 
hand. Less seed is required to sow the sa®^ 
distances, and by sowing regularly all the 
space is occupied, and if the seed is of good 
quality there is no necessity of there bein 
vacant spots in the row. ® 
Every gardener, and especially a beginner 
Imows how difficult it is. to take fine seeds 
between the fingers and sow them 
evenly 
ng 
L. B. PlEitOE. 
along the row. You are very apt to sow some 
places very thick, other spots thin, and skip 
some places entii-ely, while you will prob- 
ably scatter the seeds — that is, instead of 
placing them in a narrow line, as is desira¬ 
ble, they will be scattered in a row two 
inches ' or so wide; this is especially the 
case with the lighter seeds. The uniform 
depth that a seed-drill covers the seeds is 
also an important point to be considered, as 
it is almost as much of a task to cover seeds 
to an even depth as it is to sow them. 
Most of the seed-drills now manufactured 
are adapted not only for sowing and covering 
the seed, but are also of great value for cul¬ 
tivating the plants after they make their 
appearance above ground. 
N. J. Shepherd. 
EAKLY OABBA&E. 
When well grown and kept free from its 
enemies. Early Cabbage is a paying crop. 
To be sure of success, the soil should be 
made very rich; in fact, there is no use of 
planting Early Cabbage without heavy ma¬ 
nuring. Some growers sow their seed in the 
fall, and winter the plants over; but I pre¬ 
fer sowing in February or March, and usually 
have plants just as early and better than if 
wintered over. If they are attacked by the 
flea, ashes or soot are sifted on them. 
The land is prepared for planting by haul¬ 
ing and spreading all the manure-on the 
groiuid I can spare, breaking the ground 
deep and thoroughly pulverizing it. I have 
never regretted working the soil too much. 
As soon as ready for planting, the ground is 
marked off in rows three feet apart. Some 
good fertilizers are used in tho hills, which 
are about fifteen inches apart in the rows, 
and the plants set out. When I can conven¬ 
iently commonco to mark the gi’ound, after 
four o’clock, and sot the plants tho same 
evening, I prefer to do so, as the roots wi 
strike in tho fresh soil quicker and tho 
plants do not wilt. 
I cultivate and hoe my Cabbage eveiy fc'^ 
days, soinotimos until they are nearly reoi y 
for market. Wlien insects molest thoni, 
ap)ily a sprinkling of soot, if to bo ha J 
otherwise, ashes are used. The best renio ^ 
against the Cabbage worm is to indiico q">® 
growth, audit tho plants are set out oni > 
they will bo more likely to come 
unmolested than if planting is doferro 
tho season is more advanced. 
To any progressive gardener, a see 
is an indispensable implement. 
Thos. P. 
