Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-01-21
DaiIp Kennetel Journal.
Garden Notes.

This season of the year is devoted most
ly to preparing good supply OF manure
and getting hot-bed mats. shutters and
sashes in order for use and securing a
supply of seeds.
We have found it useful to throw coarse
horse manure into the pig pens. from the
wagon. and after being well worked over
by the hogs. to cart it out to the fields
where it is to be used, and pile it about
three or four feet high in compact heaps.
large enough to heat up. even in cold
weather; these heaps will need frequent
turning over in March and April to work
them fine before using them. The prac-
tice, often recommended by growers Of
corn and grain. OF spreadingcoarse manure
in winter on the snow or frozen ground,
has not found favor among gardeners; !;
they generally believe that to grow crops
quickly, the manure should be worked
over frequently, so as to work up all
coarse Jumps and make it easy to distri-
butte it evenly, and mix it thoroughly with
the soil, by ploughing under. Coarse
manure will answer we'll to plough under
for late crops. but it needs some care to
cover it we'll when very coarse, and if APP
piled heavily it will require two or three
men to follow the plough and poke it into
the furrow, and tread it down so that the
next bout of the plough will cover il we'll.
Hot-bed shutters should be made of
matched pine boards, without loose knots,
three feet by six, with three cleats. one
across each end. and one in the middle,
and if kept we'll painted. will last a great
many years they are very useful in keep
ing out frost in winter being placed over
the mats every afternoon on the beds !;
and in spring they can be used for shelter
ing radishes and lettuce. and after the
glass has been taken off the bed. to place
on tomato or cucumber plants, in another
bed. In fact, shutters are almost as use
full as glass in the hands of skilful gar
dener. Lettuce in May and radishes in
April and May grow better in the open
shelter of shutters in cold nights.
Notwithstanding the severe drought and
the consequent short crop OF celery, the
market has been glutted with this veg
etable since Thanksgiving; the explana-
ton is to be found in the warm weather
of the early part of December. which
ripened up the celery in the pits so that it
would not keep well, and gardeners were
forced to crowd it into the market for
what they could get; it will no doubt be
very short in February and March after
this glut is over, for there are lew who
have been able to keep it well. believe
if people generally knew what deli
cious dish celery makes with common
baked beans, there would be a much
larger sale for it.; chop up the celery fine
and mix it with the baked bean; season
with vinegar and mustard to taste; you
will call for second plate of it every
timei
Lettuce has sold for better prices this
winter than for several years past, and
were it not for the risk of loss from mil
dew, it would be profitable crop.
Too much care cannot be used in the
selection of good seeds for spring use !;
get the best you can, without much re-
gard to price, for poor seed is dear at any
price. and good seed seldom sells for as
much as it is really worth. Pea seed that
is buggy should be avoided, for many of
the buggy peas will fail entirely; others
will grow weakly. poor vines; if you are
compelled to use such seed. count hand
full and estimate the PERCENTAGE of buggy
peas, and plant enough more seed to al
low for the loss.