The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-25
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Early Gardening.

Early Gardening.
"Hasten slowly" is good maxim for the
farmer and gardener. Nothing is gained by
putting seed into the earth before it is in
suitable condition to receive it, but on the
other hand time and labor are both lost.
While the earth is still cold with the frosts of
winter or wet and heavy from the early
spring rains. it is worse than useless to begin
to plant-for by the almost inevitable decay
of the seed a twofold expenditure ofseed and
labor is required probably, when the season is
advanced, and when the weeds already have
the upper hand. Although it is true that
some grain may be sowed almost as soon as
the snow leaves, and few very hardy seeds
yet as general rule it is not worth while
to begin to plant or sow until Nature gives
the word-in other words, do not regard the
almanac or the day of the month, but wait
until the blade and leaf appear.
These considerations and perhaps addition
al ones, should be sufficient to deter every
one from hasty and injudicious hustandry;
and yet we are well aware that from the nee
essity of the case some classes must make a
specially of early gardening. Certainly all
those living remote from settlements, who
find either from imprevidence or misfortune
that their supply of vegetables hardly outlasts
the winter, must long for an early spring;
and they will of course hasten to commit the
seed to the earth with the hope of quick
return. We have heard of cases where per-
sons have been driven by famine to eat the
potatoes which they had reserved for seed,
and yet by preserving and planting the par
ings alone, they received an abundant crop.
And then SO long as the demands of luxury
or the wants of delicate constitutions, or the
needs of invalids. require a supply of vege.
tables in season and out of season, so long
will 1t be furnished-and therefore the num-
Der of professional gardeners increases every
year. To them we have no word of instruc-
ton or advice TO give; experience has been
their best teacher, and if farmers generally
would follow their directions their stock of
information as well as the income from their
lands would be largely increased.
We are not at all sure but that one of the
steps of progress in agriculture, not far in the
future, will be that farmers will devote the
early spring TO preparing and sowing hot beds
and the cultivation of the tropical plants I'M
der glass; either for future use in their own
gardens, or else for near or distant markets.
With their present lack of facilities however,
it is hardly worth while for them to attempt
more than the few simple experiments with
in the reach of every one.
Potatoes, may be easily forwarded by bring
Ing them from the cellar and placing them in
warm rooms, or in close proximity to the stove
the tender sprouts thus developed may be
toughened by few days exposure to the sun
before planting. Or, as some one relates his
experience they may be treated in this wise;
Some three weeks before the ealiest planting
time select a few of your fairest and best
Early Rose, those that show signs of sprout-
ing, if any there be, cut them in pieces hay
ing but one eye on each. Take any shallow
box-like a grape box-and sprinkle in a lay
or of rich moist earth or sand; then put in
layer of the potatoes an inch or two apart
with the eyes up. Cover them with two or
three inches of dirt, and put on another
layer of potatoes, covering with dirt as be-
fore. A hundred or two "sets" can be start
ed in this way with very little trouble. Put the
box in the corner of the kitchen, back of the
stove or in any warm place and sprinkle it
with water occasionally. By the time the
earth is warm and dry and ready for plant
ing, the potatoes will be nicely sprouted and
will also have thrown out fine net work Of
tender roots. 1t will require little
pains of course to remove the ''sets''
without breaking the sprouts, but it can be
done, even when they have grown so as to
show the green Leaf on the end. This meth
cd answers very well for few rows in the
garden; if one wishes to work or a large
scale, he can, as soon as the ground is bare
and free from frost, spread the potatoes on
the ground, covering them with a few inches
of horse manure, perhaps mixed with leaves
and fine chip dirt-also protecting them
against frosty nights.
Tomatoes, peppers, caulifewers and plants
of that class may be sown in boxes of earth
in the house, and when an inch or two in
height transplanted into small boxes made Of
till, into the tin provision cans from which
both top and bottom. have been removed.
When the right time comes, these may be
placed in the earth and suffered to remain,
without injury to the plant. By this method
the growth of the plant is not checked in the
least, and it is always much more hardy and
stocky than those which are so generally
marketed from the hot-beds. .t
Cucumbers and melons and also sweet corn
and Lima beans, if one only wishes for few
hills, may be very conveniently started by
planting on inverted sods about three inches
square. These should be cut from tough
compact sward of fine grass and placed close
together in boxes in the house, or in a hot
bed. If soaked previously in liquid manure or
dressed moderately in some of the fertilizers,
the young plant takes more vigorous start.
When the sods are placed in the open air in
their proper place, they soon decay, and thus
a complete hill is well forwarded.
By these cheap and simple methods, with
in the reach of every family owning only
patch Of land; much may be done toward Sc :
curing the comfort or luxury of a few early
vegetables; and if neglected even until the
close of this month, the results will then be
in advance of the ordinary out-of- doors.cultl-