Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1881-04-13
TOMATOES.

Row to Start Them EARLY and Bring Them to
Maturity in This Climate.
From the New York Tribune.
Any time from the middle to tho end of
March is a good time in this latitude or a
little later farther north to start the plants.
The first thing to be done is to make the
hotbed Take any sash that may be on
hand-a common window sash is as good
az any-and make frame fitting it as close
~ as possible, fourteen inches high at the
front, and two or three inches higher at
the back. Select some sunny spot, at the
south side of fence or building, and there
make a frame Of rough boards, like fence.
to hold the manure in place, three and q
half feet high, and foot higher all around
than the sash frame. Fill this frame with
horse manure that is beginning to heat.
treading it solid, to the height of two and
ahalf feet. Upon this place the sash-fram
and bank up the outside with manure to
the top. Put on the sash; let the manure
heat for day or two, and then put in six
or eight inches of good garden soil. a
If the grou, should be covered with
snow, the snow may be shoveled off, and
the soil taken up in chunks with pick or
crowbar, and put in the frame, where it will
soon thaw. When the soil feels warm SOW
the seed, three quarters of an inch deep, in
drills running from front to back, two inch
es apart. Cover the sash at night with q
piece of old carpet or horseblanket; if the
nights should be very cold perhaps more
than one thickness Of the covering may be
necessary. The plants will probably come
up within two weeks. They should be
thinned to an inch apart in the rows, wa
tered whenever the ground appears dry and
aired whenever possible to keep them from
growing spindling. The sash, however,
should not be raised before an hour after
the covering has been taken off in the morn
ing. 1t good plan to keep thermometer
in the bed against the south side of the
frame, where the sun will not shine upon it,
and where itmay be seen by looking through
the glass. The sash may be raised very
little in cold weather, The temperature
ought not to be allowed to 20. below 600
AS the weather grows warmer, more air may
be given the plants, until it becomes warm
enough to allow the sash to be removed en-
tirely during the day.
After the plants have begun to show their
second leaves, draw knife. half way be-
tween the rows, two or three times a week
deep enough to cut of any roots that may
reach that far; this will make the plants
grow stocky. When the plants are three
inches high, transplant them into moder-
ate hot-bed or coldframe. Or, if more
convenient, new soil may be put in the old
frame and as many plants as it will contain
set back in it, four inches apart each way.
After the plants start new roots, draw the
knife often between them both ways. until
they are ready to be set out. The plants
by this time will be low and stocky, and
will have all their roots in a space four
inches square, SO that when taken up care
fully the net work or roots will hold nearly
all the soil upon them. A piece Of shirgle
eight inches long, four inches wide at one
end, and narrowed at the other to lit the
hand, is very good instrument to take MP
the plants. After the first two are taken
out the others may be lifted out with this
very nicely. Make holes for the plants
four feet apart. and work into the soil