The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-24

some cool sunny window, watch them,
water them. cover them at night if there is
the least danger of their being too cold.
When the weather %softens, put them out
of doors, or open the window and let them
have the outer air all day, but cover them
at night till all danger from great cold is
past.
II your windows open on a piazza roof.
or there is q shelf outside. then you are
fortunate, and the care of tbom will be
comparatively easy. I have a fiat roof with
a expos and can step out of the
window directly upon it; it is covered all
through April with my precious boxes of
treasures. Every night 1 cover them with
an old sail, or pieces of carpet, or anything
that IL at hand, and every morning at sun
rise I uncover them and rejoice in their
strength and promise. l water them at
sure to do, for the wind and sun quickly
dries the earth. in the boxes.
All your success depends upon
you wntchful care. You must
never forget or neglect them, for if they are
set back by drought or frost from not being
protected some cold night. or any other
result of carelessness, they will not recover
for weeks, and it may be never. and your
hopes will be destroyed for this summer at
least.
By the middle Of May your boxes should
be q solid mass of strong Il vigorous
plants five or six inches high, ! READY put
ting forth their tendrils for climbing.
It is not necessary to have such very rich
soil in which to start them. Sift and bake
and when cool fill your boxes to within half
in inch of the top and jar them to settle
the earth lightly but firmly. This is better
than pressing it down witt your hand. You
will find it settle US much as half an inch.
Then scatter your golden grains of seed
all over the top and sift over them just
enough soil to cover them about twice their
bulk i'll depth. Very gently lay your open
Eand over the surface, just its weight
hardly any pressure. Sprinkle with the
fine spray of the rubbe hand bulb and set
the box in q warm place, as for sweet peas.
In Il weeks time or less you ought to see
them sprouting.
The soil must never get dry. Seeds do
not need light, but heat and moisture. But
the moment they are up you cannot give
them enough light, nor can you give them
too little artificial heat. short of actual
freezing. Panaies love the cold. but of
course you must be careful about the baby
plants. Ihe moment they have sprouted
carry Thorn away to the cool, sunny window
of some upper ROOM, perhaps, which is
warmed by sunshine and safe from frost.
Open the windows for a few minutes every
sunny day. Though they are so strong and
sturdy and easily grown, in their infancy
they are difficult to manage, either dump
! ing off and perishing in that way. or be-
coming drawn OUT and %spindling from
| too great heat.
Keep the soil always moist, never wet
you must learn the value of this dictinc-
| ton. In the brightest part OF the day put
! a thin paper or bit of muslin. or something
against the window pane. between them
/ and the full blaze of the sun. Watch them
and tend them till tho pretty round second
leaf ia formed, and if you have been faith
full, all the little plants will be dark gteen,
4 t "a - ...l r-1I - u--.