Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-29

thSpinach grown in them during January,
Fetuary and March, and lettuce, beets,
carpts, celery, ETC., still later, often pay
him large profit. To produce marketable
lettce in March, or first-class, large toma-
toes. pepper and egg plants by the time
they're wanted for planting, however, re-
quire the use of hot-beds, and these are
: generally set in operation in February or
Marcel according TO location.
Nam people desire to raise only very
few tomato and perhaps pepper plants,
more r,rely egg plants. They plant few or
no cabbage plants for summer use, and de-
pend % open air culture for cabbages for
fall and winter use. Where a kitchen
window facing the south is at disposal for
the purpose, an abundant home supply of
tomxo plants can often be started in box
or in boxes placed on shelf In front Of
such window, as shown in Fig. l. A CON-
Uon soap-box obtained from the nearest
grocer viii furnish material for two or
three OF these boxes. Suitable soil is pre-
pared br mixing one-third OF well-rotted
compost and two-thlrds sandy loan or
rich garten soil but / have never found
any thing better than the compost
shoveled cut Of the old hot-beds mixed
with title sand or sandy loan,
thoroughly worked over and fined.
The boxes should be filed nearly to the top.
and the SEEDS sowed thinly in shallow fur
rows. Each variety should be properly
labeled, or the name written on the outside
OF the box facing each row, Sift little
sandy loan, Leaf mold or pulverized moss
upon the seeds and pat it down gently to
''hrm" the seed then water with hot water
from hne rose sprinkler, and as often
afterwards with water of common tempera-
ture as the soil becomes dry and needs it.
mus treated the young plants should make
their appearance In about weeks time. A
few cabbage lettuce and other plants may
pc grown IN similar way, but the boxes
should be set IN colder room. 1t generally
falls TO the lot of the good housewife to care
tQr such plant boxes, and in most cases she
will enjoy the task
Much more convenient, and by no means
without adequate compensation Of the en-
joyment it affords and the more substantial
returns in good vegetables count for any
thing, is the construction and management
of a hot-bed. The true lover of good gar
den, and the man who has a large family to
supply with vegetables, would sorely miss
che aid of such convenience. The sashes
now commonly made, and which can be
bought ready for use, at about two dollars
each, are three feet by six, and two or three
such sashes will cover bed fully large
enough to produce all the plants that
large family may possibly need for home
use, and some to spare for their neighbors.
To construct the hot-bed, an excavation
is made running east and west Of conven-
lent, in situation protected On the north
side by a building or high, board fence,)
about eighteen inches deep, six feet wide,
and Of the required length-that is, three
feet for each sash to be used. Small stakes
are driven into the ground at each corner,
and the frame nailed to them so as TO get
e box-lik structure, about eighteen inches
above the surface of the ground at the
back north SIDE, and twelve inches in
front, as shown in figures 2 and 8. The
hot-beds as made by gardeners are not