The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-07-01


less than $50 an acre The canvas is
made to roll up and down. so that ii
can be spread over the crops when
needed. In the early season of the
year it is an excellent protection from
the frost and cold waves. and in the
fail 1t serves the same excellent pur.
pose. 1t protects the tender plants
from all damage, and gives them a
start fully two or three weeks earlier
than if not thus protected. In the sum.
mer time the canvas cover proves eff.
cient in protecting the plants from
the hot MONDAY sun. In dry weather
the plants could survive n drought If
they had some protection from the
sun. The withering heat of the sun
beating down upon them wien the soil
is bare of moisture completes thcI
destruction. They revive little at
night tinc, and try to renew the battle
with sun and drought. but day after
day they are wilted down until tEcy
are scorched TO the very heart.
THE VALUE OF \ MULCH.
y mulch is considered one of the best
protectors of plants in hot weather
This consists simply of some coarse
material such as leaves. straw or litter,
| placed around the base OF the stalks
so the moisture cannot he sucked up
by the hot sun. In time the sun pene.
trates below the mulch and DESTROYS
the plants. but plants protected with a
good mulch will survive for weeks
where others not protected will Gie in
! few days. The cGnvas-covered field
is thus protected very much rs the
single plant is by q mulch. The sun
cannot reach down ana suck up all the
moisture. When it rains the canvas
covering is rolled up and the ground
is allowed to get soaked with the rain
water. Then in hot weather the GOV.
ering is replaced and the surface moist.
ure is retained for weeks.
The effect Of the canvas protection in
! this way can hardly he overestimated.
The experimental gardens have demon.
| strated that in tie dryest seasons or.
dinary tender crops can be raised with.
ont trouble. Not only this, but seeds
can be planted IN the field as second
crop in July and August, and they
will Gcrminate and the young plants
show no sign Of being withcred IN by
the excessive heat. The temperature
under the covering is ordinarily Just
right for young plants. If supplied
with moisture they will thrive as we'll
as in May OF June. There are many
second crops Of vegetables which mar
ket gardeners would like to raise for
early fall, hut owing to the difficulties
| of raising them successfully from seed
in midsummer they are rot planted.
PROTECTION FROM THE sun.
When summer comes the plants are
protected in the same way from the
hot sun. Most plants will 60 better
in simmer if exposed TO its direct rays
only IL part of the day. 1t has been
found that the rays Of the morning
sun are better for growing plants than
those OF midday or afternoon. Usual.
Iy the canvas is put over the plants
in the middle of the day from about
eleven until three or four in the af.
ternoon. If the days are cloudy the
canvas is rot put down at all.
In small gardens canvas and muslin
covers are also employed to protect
the plants in different ways. Night
caps Of muslin are made which can
be clapped over tomato vines or flowers
in the evening and removed in the
morning. These caps are made of light
wooden or wire frames with un-
bleached muslin stretched over them.
They are especially used for small
plants which get an early spring start.
One person can cover an tcrc Of plants
with these caps in much less than an
hour. They are made SO that they fit
snugly into each other, and in this
way they can be stacked conveniently
near the plants or stowad away in the
winter in small space. They should
last four or five seasons, and the cost
shcEld rot be more than few cents
each. ~ 'N,.'-
The disadvantage Of this system Is
that ii is slow work TO cover and un-
cover large acreages of plants, but on
small gardens, where only an acre or
two are cultivated the night caps are
better than the full CANVAS protection
which rolls up and down by means Of |
ropes. Flower growers use the muslin |
caps for their sensitive plants. and |
many amateur flower growers have
also adopted the system, obtaining |
thereby early annual flowers which
would not otherwise thrive well until |
very late in the season.
small strip of muslin is thus q |
great boon in the hands of the small |
flower grower. BY stretching this |
across the garden where seedlings |
have been planted, the right conditions
OF temperature and moisture can be |
In the soil and above II to |
suit any plarts. The fresh air and |
wind can blow under the strip of mus.
lin and supply the plants with all the
oxygen they need. The sun also shines |
dimly through the thin muslin. provid- |
ing the plants with the right degree Of
light.
The value OF these for flower raising
has been demonstrated at several Of
the State experiment stations, where It
was found that violets. pansles. pinks
and other flowers increased the size
OF their flowers each season under
their protecting cover. A good many
lowering plants thrive better In semi.
shade, and others which have always
been planted in open, sunny places,
hnNa ghawn 1affor rasulfo ,,,au. .ho /