The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-04-07

Row to Start Thea&Arly and; Bring Thorn to
.:.. Maturity in Thts Chiaato. =
From the New Yoxk Tzibnaassa !, II II.
~ Any time from .ehe fiddle 10 tho end Of
March is q good time In this Latitude or a
little later fathers moth to start tie plants.
The first thing rs be done is To- maks tho
hotbed Take any sash that may be- on
hand-a common window sash, is as good
as any-and paakda frame titting it as close
" ss possibld fulsteen inches high at the
front, and two Of three inches higher at
the back. Select some sunny spot, at the
south side Of = fence or building, and there
make trans eflongh boards, Ikea fence.
to- iG fe s ssSf y g;ss e. ts 81 snas
than the sa1h-f1ame. Fill this frame With
horse manure that is beginning to heat.
treading it solid, to the height Of two and
ahslf feet. Upon this plaoe tie ash-frame,
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 inchesf Of good garden soil ~,
: If the grouy d should be covered with
snow, the snow may be shoveled Of, and
the soil taken up in chunks with . pick Or
>crowbar, and put in the frame, whore it will
sosn ithnw. When the soil feels warm SOW
the seed, three quarters Of an inch deep, In
drills rt1nnihg from front to back, two inch
es apart. Corer the sash at night with q
piece Of old carpet or horsebl anket; if the
nights should be- very cold perhaps more
than one thickness CT 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, va
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. It good plan to keepa 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 q very
little in cold weather, The temperature
ought not TO be allowed to 20 below 60
As the weather grows warmer, more air may
be given the plants, until it'becomes warm
enoughsto allow the sash to be removed en-
tirely during the day. = = r. =.
second leaves, draw knife half way be-
Z tween the rows, two or three times q week
deep enough to cut off any roots that. may
reach that far; this will make the plants
grow stooky. - When the plants arc three
inches high, transplant them into smoder-
ate hot-bed or coldframe. Or, fillmore
! convenient, new soil may be put in the old
frame and>ss many plants as It will contain
set back in il, four inches apart each way.
After the plants start new. roots, draw the
knife often between them both ways, until
they are ready 70 be set out; The plants
by this time win be low and stocky, and
win have all their roots in q space four
inches square, 90 that when taken up care
all the soil upon them. A piece Of shirgie
eight inches long, four inches. wide at one
end. nd,naxroWed at the other to a. the
hand, is very good instzumentto take up
the plants. After the .6rst two are taken
out the others may be lifted out with this
very nicely. Make holes for the plants
four feet epart. and work into the soil