The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-02-22
.Fdrm-GarDen-Dousebolo.
Early Tomato Plants.

AS some of the readers Of the Rurdl Nelc
Y0rIsr may be in the same fix the coming
spring that | vas last, as regards knowing
how they are 70 grow Il few early tomato
plants and have them stocky and tirst-class
plants IN every respect, will give the details
of how l managed TO grow u few hundred 10
my entire satisfaction. took u small box,
l2x2O inches, six inches deep, and filled it
with good garden soil and set 1t on the ktch-
en- stOve-drum, and let set there till the dirt
was thoroughly warmed; then took q stick
and made marks an inch apart, four and
4uaIter inches deep IN the dirt, orossways of
the box; then scattered tomato seeds quite
thick along tho rows and covered them about
one quarter OF an inch deep; then took news
paper AID Se- it and covered the box to pre-
vent the dirt from getting dry on top. The
box was set on bench near the stove after
the seeds were sown, and the following day
set on the stove-drum again for the purpose
of keeping up the heat il. the soil, being care
iul not TO let it get too hot.
In forty-eght hours from the time the seed
was sowl, they had sprouted and many had
broken the ground Il few were near half an
inch nigh, When the plants had attained to
the hight of two inches transplanted them
Into other boxes about one and half inches
apart each way. The plants were left in these
boxes TIL they had attained hight Of four
inches and then transpanted into sort Of
hotbed made AS follows: A pit was dug in
the side of a hill facing the southeast, six feet
wide by twelve feet long, and posts driven in
the ground al the corners and one on each
side six feet from either end. On these posts,
boards We're nailed two feet high in front and
TWO and half feet high at the back, giving
six inches fail from back to front. In this
frame put fresh manure, mixed with litter
,.ch as is found at farmers horse.stables-to
the depth Of twelve inches, pressing it down
firmly as put it in; then put on six inches Of
good soil and covered the bed with covers,
made by stretching and mailing with ten OF
tacks, common heavy brown muslin on light
frames, three by SIX feet The frames were
made Of white pine lath, sawed one by three
inches, halved at the corners and nailed with
c.iuch nails. Common cut nails heated to
near white heat, and allowed to cool very
SLOW, are JUS, as good as the Clinch nails sold
at the haydwate stores ana are much cheaper.
Af,er the covers were put on, board was
laid across the upper ends OF them, reaching
trou! end Of the hot.bed frame to the other
and also across the lower ends, to proven,
heavy winds from moving them. As soon as
The soil IN the bed was sufficiently warmed,
Tsked it down smooth and marked it in row!
four and one quarter inches apart, and set the
plants the same distance apart in the rows.
Before removing the plants from the boxes
the soil was thoroughly wet in order to cause
rs much SOIL as possible to stick to the roots
then case knife was drawn through the soil
midway between the plants each way, abou
tour inches deep; and in removing the plant
no difficulty was experienced in keeping TIT
dirt ABOUT Their roots. After being transplant
ed and the covers put on, no care whstevs
was gwen them except an occasional water
IN.
About the 10th of May the plants were re
moved to the open ground, the same care be
ing exercised as regarded watering and Gu,
ting between the rows, that had been whe
,ransplanted to the hot-bed. These PLAN
were as fine as any l ever saw grown an.
where, except those grown in green house
pots Tomato plants must have aye IN ord,
10 produce early toms.oes.-Crr. Rual Nei
YOyEtr.