Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-26
The SEED BED

" where proper care has been given
to the construction and where drain
age and cultivation has been properly
attended to.
The seed bed is not made to be used
for a single month or few weeks
but we make it with the idea or nav
ing 1t in operation throughout the en-
tire year. Every month the seed bed
will be called upon to germinate ana
promote the growth of certain SEEDS
that we cannot risk in the open
ground or that we have no room for
in the regular garden plot. Therefore
give time and care to the making OF
the seed bed, for 1t is to be a per-
manent factor and helper in the home
garden.
Seeds germinate as the result OF
certain amount of heat, moisture and
air. The best temperature for the ger
mination of seeds varies according 10
the nature of the plant or species, ana
we can learn only by experience wnat
temperature is best suited for raising ing
the seeds of any particular plant. we
soon learn that seeds of certain plants
terminate more quickly IL sown In a
seed bed than IL sown In the open
ground, where the temperature Is from
ten to twenty degrees lower.
Seeds in the vegetable class. such as
cabbage. cauliflower, kohlrabi, endiVe,
made seed bed in six or eight days.
Cultivation of Seed Bed
Cultivation is just as necessary In
the seed bed as 1t is in the open gar
den. and this Is one point that we wish
to emnhasize most particularly. Just
as soon as the seeds begin TO snow
above the ground so we can see the
rows we begin to cultivate. We use
a common iron kitchen fork for cul-
tivator of the seed bed, as 1t answers
every purpose. Do not cultivate when
the soil is wet or over moist. oilpiy
scratch the soil lightly at first TO oreak
I'm the earth so as to prevent baking
and to admit the necessary amount
of air. ,.,. 49, o,osa
to the plant at first, but as the seeus
make a larger root and plant grown
you can cultivate nearer 10 the to"
and deeper in the soil.
II requires but a few moments 10
cultivate the seed bed of the home gar
den. but do not omit this lmportallt
mart of the work. Every thlro VI
fourth day is not too often to cultivate
Tomatoes
There is a great deal of satisfaction
to the home gardener in growing MS
own tomato plants; even II only a
small number of plants are wanted
we should advise one TO plant tue
seed. Good tomato plants can be Sc
cured from our seedsmen, to be sure
but It is the pleasure and satisfaction
gained in selecting the proper seeo
and planting and caring for them IN
the seed bed which commends the
preference of planting them 10 puylhs
the plants already grown.
There is more real satisfaction IN
growing a perfect tomato In the nome
garden than in anything else the gar
den affords, and we hope to encourage
the planting of more of this table DEL
icacy. We are glad to give from time
to time any helps resulting from our
own experience in growing the perfect
fruit.
First of all, start with the right kind
of seed. Our home seedsmen nave all
the best and leading varieties, so there
is nothing gained by sending away TOT
seed; If the truth were known, many
of the seeds that are received from
the eastern seedsmen under new ana
high-sounding names have had va
cation trip across the continent and
then returned to the home state wnere
they were born and bred
Every one knows that California Is
producing as good seeds for the gar
den as is produced In the world, ana
tons of seeds are being shipped every
year to the eastern planters as well as
to the planters abroad. Therefore our
home seedsmen can supply the best
varieties and can advise you as to the