The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-02-01
FARMERS FEBRUARY WORK

February is in one sense the first
spring month. However cold or snowy
it may be, or biting or boisterous the
wind, there is something that proclaims
the opening of new season and the
advent of another vegetable cycle. The
days are longer, and it is the increased
amount of light that counts for so much.
Hotbed work should begin this month,
and seeds of all the hardy vegetables
and flowers may be sown. A small
greenhouse is better than range of
hOtbed sash, but the users of sash will
always be more numerous than the
owners of greenhouses. The green
house will come more into fashion, but
the hotbed sash will never &c wholly
out of fashion. An excellent plan is to
combine the two methods: that is, to
make small greenhouse out of NOV
able sashes. A snug and tight winter
house can be made in this way, while
in summer the beds are open to the sky,
so that air and rain may get at the soil
and thus sweeten and renew it. a
sash for greenhouse of cold frame is
usually made Axe feet in size; or to be
exact, 3 feet and inches by 6 feet.
Such a sash, including painting and
glazing, costs about 50. 1t will last for
many years if properly handled.
A hotbed may consist of two feet of
slowly fermenting horse manure, four
f. inches Of rich, finely screened soil, an
air space of six inches a glazed sash
and mat or shutter, the latter to be
used at night These requisites and
dimensions may be varied to suit cir
cumstances. Some gardeners use three
feet of manure, and some are content
with eighteen or even twelve inches.
A little more or little less than four
inches of soil may be used; but the bed
when finished should have the soil
quite near the glass, as it gradually
sinks away away with the settling and
rotting of the manure. a thermome-
ter should be placed inside the hot
frame, and the seeds should not be
planted until the first heat has sub
sided. Plants in hotbeds and frames
must have fresh air every day, even
during cool weather, otherwise, plants
will not be healthy and vigorous.
A cold frame is nothing more nor
less a glass-covered box, though the
box has no bottom except the soil. In
addition to the glass sash, mat or
shutter is usually provided for use at
night.
Cold frames are extensively used for
two purposes. One is for transplant
ing and the other for wintering. AS
soon as the seedlings in the hotbeds
begin to crowd each other they are
pricked out into the frames and afford
ed more space for roots and tops. This
is called transplanting In wintering
plants in frames they are set in the
ground in the fall, after which they
require no winter care except regular
ventilation.
February servings may include cab
bage, caulihower, beets, lettuce, celery,
onions, leek, cress, radishes etc., and
also large pansies and other flowers
required for early spring blooming.
Bear in mind the wisdom of Feb
ruary sowing is local question.
Poultry yard work, which may have
been active all winter, takes on par
ticularly brisk form in February. The
fowls respond to increased light as
quickley as anything else in nature: in
fact all varieties of live stock seem to
feel that spring weather is not far dis
tant.
Grape vine trimming should not be
deferred beyond the last of February,
on account of the mounting sap. Tree
and bush trimming should also have
attention. Blackberry and raspberry
canes should be thinned out and the
same is true of currants and gooseber-
ries, which are too generally neglected.
. =