SUCCESSFUL GARDENING 
HOTBED SOIL Good ee soil, loamy and full of humus; 
or well fortified with compost and a small 
AND HEATING amount complete fertilizer is desirable. Soil 
sterilization is unnecessary if disease-free soil and care in water- 
ing and ventilation are used. It is good practice to sprinkle top of 
the soil lightly, after the seed is sown, with a solution of fixed 
copper. A shallow layer of strawy manure under 4 or 5 inches of 
soil will break capillary attraction and give better control of mois- 
ture; the result, plants with many short roots which transplant 
better. 
The essentials for success are a steady uniform degree of heat 
and moisture. Examine the soil every day or two, digging down 
several inches to make sure that the heat supplied from below is 
not drying out soil and damaging or burning roots. In colder 
climates it is well to bank up with soil around the outside of the 
frame to make it airtight. 
Heavy quilted pads can be used to cover sash at night to retain 
heat. A windbreak should be used to protect the bed from cold 
winds. 
PLANTING Cabbage, tomato and pepper seed may be planted 
THE BEDS in three or four inch rows, spacing the seed about 
four to six to the inch. We suggest that the seed 
be treated with Semesan or Arasan before planting. If the plants 
“damp off” in the beds they may be sprayed with a solution of 
Arasan as instructed on the package. Arasan listed on page 72. 
The plants usually are thinned to stand three inches either 
way. At thinning time the ground may be covered with % inch of 
fine sand to keep down weeds and provide a quick drying surface 
to avoid black root. Keep the beds cool enough so that short, 
stocky, hardy plants are produced. Keep the soil moist enough for 
good steady growth. Too much watering will result in spindling 
plants and increases the danger of “damping off.” 
Continued on page 8 
Our most up-to-date thresher. It will handle Cucumber, Muskmelon, Watermelon, Tomato, 
Squash and Pumpkin. Fruits are crushed by roller, the seed drops through screen on the 
reel, is pumped into the juice remover from which the seed falls into a barrel 
