The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-01-11
GARDENING NEAR THE GULF COAST.
January.

OAAAS SuOuAu HOW Uc utIcAueu
to promptly, whenever the soil and
weather will justify it.
Never stir the soil when it is wet.
The bitches should be cleaned out
and no water should be permitted to
stand in any part of the garden.
The soil should be thoroughly spaded
to the depth Of a foot, at least.
The surface should be thoroughly
pulverized with rake.
Work into and mix with the soil
thoroughly manure, well rotted, de-
cayed bones, muck, rotten turf, scra-
pings of the door-yard, and scrapings
of henroosts.
WHAT TO SOW AND PLANT.
During the month continue to plant
onion sets and plants, garlic, leeks,
beets, cabbage, carrot, .cress, roquette,
mustard, lettuce, parsnip, spinach,
parsley, radish and curled kale.
Shallots planted in the fall can be
taken up, divided and transplanted.
Artichokes should bc divided ard
planted without delay.
Sage, thyme, 1najor;.n, savory and
other herbs ought to be divided and
set out.
EARLY varieties of cabbage should be
sown now to have plants large enough
to set out in February, or early in
March.
Peas should now be sown tor a gener-
al crop, such as marrowfat, early Wash
lngton, blue imperial; Eugene, bishop
dwarf, ETC.. For the extra early varie-
ties, the latter part of the month, or
early in February, will be seasonable
for them.
Peas require light soil without fresh
manure; when the soil is too rich they
run too much to vines.
After the peas arc up dressing of
wood ashes will be beneficial.
HOW TO SOW SEEDS.
Persons unaccustomed to gardening
(and for the benefit of such these direc
lions are given) often make bad work
in sowing or planting seeds.
Lay plank eight or ten inches wide
across the bed at the end where the
planting is to commence. Standing on
this plank, with an iron tooth rake
clean offall the Jumps and throw them
to the side of the bed.
Mark the drill at tho cago of the
plank, now the seeds, cover with fine
earth, shallow, if the seeds arc small
and the plant delicate, deeper for largo
seeds and strong plants; lay the plank
over the drill and walk on it after tho
seeds arc covered.
SPRING PLANTS.
q Plant beds and boxes should now he
prepared to have plants in season for
the spring garden.
A bed six or eight feet in length by
three feet in depth, the earth well spa
ded aud mixed IL foot deep, may pro-
duce plants enough, such as cabbages,
beets, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and
egg plants to supply family garden.
"A few planks, or pickcts, should be
placed by the side of the seed bed to
cover it during frosts or peiting rains.
The south side of the bed should he
six or eight inches lower than tho
north side.
BUG PROOF rIA NJ RON
Take II box of any convenient size.
provide for it mellow, fresh earth, not
too rich, scald the earth, fill the box,
SOW egg plant seeds, pepper, or any
other seeds which produce plants that
are liable to be destroyed by bugs,
worms, flies or ants, aud these enemies
will not be troublesome. Sctldinn the
earth kills the seeds ofwcctis and grass,
and the eggs of those enomies of tender
plants.
FORCED GROWTH.
The usual way of producing forced
growth of plants is to put down bed
of horse manure, mixed with leaves.
After this commence to Torment cover
with five or six inches of earth, and uf
ter the greatest heat has passed away,
SOW the seeds and cover the whole bed
with glass. Tu fine weather admit Ms
much fresh air as possible by sliding
back the sash in tho middle of the day.