West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-10-21

no manure Is used. After the plants
have obtained good start I'm the hot
bed they should be transferred 20 the
cold frame. The plants IN the cold
franc are gradually accustomed to
the outside air by leaving the sash up
FOR longer periods each day. This
transplanting also helps the tomatoes
and cabbages In another way. in that
IL makes them thicker stcmmed and
causes better root development A
stoeky plant OF this kind is always a
better grower and yielder.
Early Potatoes.
A good way TO secure earlincss in
the case OF potatoes is to pack n num-
Der In sand somewhere where they
VIII get plenty OF light This should
be done week or SO before planting
time. As soon as the ground is ready
these tubers are set out carefully so
as not 10 break OF the sprouts which
have started. A week or more i'm the
earliness OF the crop can be saved I'm
this way. The early potatoes may be
planted rather shallow and a thick
coating OF straw placed between the
rows. On nights when there Is danger
OF freezing. the plants can be covered
with straw. No cultivation win be
necessary, since the straw will keep
the weeds down and conserve mois-
ture. When digging time comes the
straw can be thrown back and the po-
tatoes VIII bo found on top OF the
ground. or nearly SO OF course this
plan is not practicable except for n
few rows OF the earliest potatoes
Rhubsrb and Asparagus.
Another method OF securing early
vegetables is by the use OF perennials.
or those which come up from the roots
each year. The most important OF
these are asparagus and rhubarb. As
paragus Is one OF the most delicious
vegetables that can be grown, and Il
fills IN space I'm the spring when
there is nothing else available Rhu.
barb comes nearer TO being fruit
making appetizing sauce and pies.
In starting an asparagus bed the land
should be manurcd heavily and plowed
deeply. One year old plants grown
from seed should be planted four
Inches deep and n foot apart I'm rows
three feet apart. The early spring
treatment OF the asparagus bed con.
sists I'm giving Il thorough dlslting
After the cutting season Is over lib.
eral coating OF manure should be scat
tered between the rows. The stalks
should be cut I'm the fall before the
berries are fully ripe 10 keep the bed
from becoming fllcd with seedlings.
Asparagus cannot be cut much before
II is three years old. Rhubarb Is easily
grown from roots planted around I'm
any out OF the way corner and kept
well mulched and manured.
In planting the garden those plants
which have the same habits OF growth
should be put together The early
crops should also be punched as much
as possible. In some cases an early
crop may be got out OF the way I'm time
10 put later one on the same ground
Cultivation.
The garden should bo laid out I'm long
rows and as much OF the cultivation
as possible done with a horse culti-
vator. A one horse walking cultiyator
Is best for this work. A wheel hoe TO
get close TO the plants and into the
corners Is valuable addition TO the
equipment. AS n last resort n hand
hoe may have TO be used once In
awhile TO get the weeds out or the
row. Changing the garden TO n new
place every few years is big help I'm
keeping weeds I'm check. III the garden
Is put on clean soil In the frst place
ana few weeds are allowed TO GO TO
seed the labor problem will be greatly
simpllfed.
Insects.
or all the insects that attack garden
crops the one that probably causes the
most trouble is the striped cucumber
beetle. a practice often followed
where but n few hills OF vine crops
are grown is to cover the young plants
with frame OF mosquito netting. A