Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-03-30
OPEN AIR PLANTS.

hardy, nor 50 likely to Withstand
the vicissitudes of the season.
OPEN. AIR PLANTS.
This is the best mode of raising
plants in all districts when the eli
mate will allow of working the
ground and sowing the seed early in
the month of April, or the latter
part of March. Ii is less expensive,
less trouble, and the plants are harder
and less apt to wilt and die when
transplanted from their beds to per-
manent quarters. 1t has, however,
the disadvantage which L before
mentioned, first, of danger of being
frost-killed, and also inability, very
often, of maturing them soon
enough, so as to allow of setting out
in time to secure, after cutting, a
good second crop from the same
stalks. s-..
This is no small matter, for if an
early start be secured and the crop
cut about the first to the tenth of
August, and the fall be a long and
open one, you may secure an after
yield, paying from fifty to seventy
five dollars per acre, or even more.
am thus plain in these details, be-
cause in cultivating this plant it is
well to observe every point which
will add to success. / calculate my
second crop will at least pay for
manuring and blowing the land.
In preparing my seed bed / am
always careful to select warm and
sheltered locality, looking to the
l. toIr nj & n
piece of new ground, protected at
the north and west by cOpse, piece
of woodland:or a large building or
close board fence.
Then rake all the dead leaves, old
brush, corn stalks and old limbs of
trees into small heaps about twenty
feet from each other and then set
afire. When they are thoroughly
consumed, have the ashes rakel
cleverly over the surface which is
intended for your seed bed. Then
have the ground well spaded to the
depth at least of twelve inches.
While it is being spaded, work into
the burrows plentiful supply of
well rOtted horse manure. After
spading the ground, have every clod
broken, all stone and Stubble re-
moved and rake it clean and smooth.
Then top dress the surface with a
compost made up of horse droppings
two parts, leached ashes two parts,
and one part Peruvian guanO or
chicken manure. This must be
well raked and thoroughly incorpo-
rated in the surface soil. When
this is done the ground is in readi-
mess for the seed. The ground must
not be. too wet, neither too dry,
when the seed is sown, but select a
day when there is an appearance of
approaching rain, or one or two days
after light rain, Do not sow the
seed on windy day, as the light
grain will be blown and fall I'M
evenly over the surface of the bed,
Init choose a mild and calm morn
ing. For every twenty-five yards
of surface square, take one table
spoonful of seed and mix thoroughly
in about one peck of ground plaster
or finely sifted ashes. Then sow it
broadcast over the bed, endeavOring
to secure as even an application to
the whole surface as possible. Sc
cure from the slaughter yard about
one bushel of hog hair and spread it
evenly over the bed. This answers
several purposes. Itsecures warmth
and protection to the delicate young
plants, and, in addition, seems to
supply to them some chemical in
gradients, which tend to promote
their rapid growth. When this is
done, get a few bundles of small
branches of pine or cedar and place
them over the surface of the bed.
These also furnish heat and protec-
ton, and may be removed when
the plants have grown to the size of
a silver dollar.
During the growth of the plants
great attention must be given to the
weeds, taking them out as soon as
large enough to be distinguished
from the young plants, and this
must be done by hand. In case
of drought, sprinkle the plants in
the evening from a watering pot,
giving them a thorough soaking.
This will be all that will be found
necessary to mature the plants for
use when wanted to set out in the
patch.