American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-02-17
Garden Operations for February.

But lew nave yet learned to appreciate
at its full value the amount of sustenance
which may be drawn from well-cultiva.
ed Kitchen Garden.
At this season Of the year, when active
farming operations are, in measure, sus-
pended, would it not be well for the read,
ers of the Geaessee Farmer to consider
how they may increase the luxuries of the
garden?
Although but little can be done in the
month of February in the way Of actual,
outdoor gardening, yet much may be done
in the way of preparation that will save
much time when the urgent work of the
farm draws so heavily on the thoughts and
efforts of the farmer.
Now is the time--if it has not already
been done-to establish some plan and
system of laying out and cultivating the
garden.
LOCATION.
And first, is the location Of the garden
the best that can be had within conyen-
lent distance of the house Is the aspect
as warm-the protection from cold winds
as good-the soil as deep, mellow, and
well drained, as can be obtained? If not,
change in locality is desirable. The ten
der vegetables of the garden are more Sc
riously affected by unfavorable conditions
in soil, exposure &c, than the harder field
crops-although am of opinion that farm
ing would pay better in the end, if the
whole farm was brought into the condi-
tion of a well cultivated garden.
MANUREs.
If the garden did not receive liberal
dressing of manure in the fall-which is
the better timc-a quantity should be pre-
pared for early application in the spring.
Hog manure-of all the droppings of do
nestic animals (poultry excepted) l CON
slider best to promote the growth Of vege-
tation, while horse manure from its heat
ing qualities is great auxiliary to the ear
ly development and maturity of plants
A mixture of the two in about equal parts
would form about as good a compost as
could be devised for the garden. The
more thoroughly they are mixed together
the better Such compost heap can be
made to good advantage this month.
SEEDS.
Now is the time to procure seeds for the
garden, before the seedsman's supply of
new and valuable varieties is exhausted
and it will also afford you an opportunity
to test their vitality in time to procure an
other supply before the planting season ar
rives, should any one of them prove bad.
Soak them few hours in tepid water,
in warm room, then mix with little
soil, and in few days they will begin to
sprout-if good. BY counting out doz-
en- Or so of each variety and testing them,
you may know by the number that ger
inmate how good they are, and how thick
to SOW them in the garden. By taking a
little pains at this time in testing the seeds,
the gardener may be saved a great deal OF
disappointment and aggravation, which
he otherwise might feel in looking, in vain,
in April or May, for the appearance Of
some favorite plant from seeds which had
lost their vitality.
Hoi-BEDs.
The wide-awake gardener is unwilling, in
these go-ahead times, to wait for his cab
bage, caulifower, cucumbers, melons, to-
matoes, eggplant, &C., &C., until they can
be started spd grown entirely in the open
air, and therefore is disposed to avail him
self of any means of anticipating the sea-
son-hence, hot-beds are becoming quite
common.
The hothed should be prepared this
month, so as to be ready for planting the
first of next. Its object is to afford artif-
ciai heat to plants, before the ground is
effected by the fermentation of manure
beneath them, while they receive the light
and heat of the sun, the cold being ex-
cluded by the frame and glass.
have tried various forms of hot-beds,
and consider the following the best-all
things considered: In situation shelter
ed from cold, northerly winds, with clear
southern exposure, dig pit running east
and west, Is inches deep and feet wide,
and about IL feet long Make frame of
inch-and-ahalf stuff-spruce or pine-to
fit within the pit, rising about 2 feet above
the ground on the north or rear side, and
| foot in front, making all tight by batten-
ing. The sashes should be 6 feet long,
and wide enough to contain 8 lights of 7
BY 9 glass, and wonld require "a lights to
the sash, allowing them to overlay one an
other LIZ an inch. The sides of the sash
should be strong enough to prevent their
spreading apart, allowing the lights to drop
mt