The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-04-24

Ing q limited number OF early plants
IL by means Of q shallow boz placed
In q south window Of the dwelling.
After the plants appear the boz should
DO turned each day to prevent the
plants drawing toward the light.
The most common method Of start
Ing early plants In the north IN by
means OF a hotbed. In the north the
hotbed should be started In February
or early In March. II IL desirable to
have a supply Of straw or loose ma.
nure on hand to throw over the bed
In case OF extremely cold weather
During bright days the hotbed will
heat very quickly from the sunshine on
the glass, and II will lie necessary 20
VENT te during the early morning by
slightly raising the sash on the oppo.
site side from the wind. Care should
be taken In ventiiating to protect the
plants from draft Of cold air. To.
ward evening close the sash.
Hotbeds should I've watered on bright
days and In the morning only After
watering, the bed should be well ven.
tllated
In the north the use OF the cold
frame IL for hardening OF plants that
have been started IN the hotbed. pre-
paratory TO setting them In the garden.
In the south the cold frame IL made 10
take the place Of the hotbed In start
Ing early plants
Good soil for seed bed, a specially
prepared place for starting plants, con
sists Of one part OF well rotted manure.
two parts OF good garden loan or rot.
ted sods and one part OF sharp. fine
sand. The manure should be thorough
ly rotted. but u should not have been
exposed 10 the weather and the
strength leached out OF II. The add.
ton OF leaf mold or peat will tend to
make the soil better adapted for seed
bed purposes Mix all the ingredients
together In a heap. stirring well with q
shovel. after which the soil should be
sifted and placed In boxes or In the bed
ready for sowing the seed.
Weed seeds and the spores OF fun
gous diseases may he killed by placing
the soil In pans and baking II for an
hour In IA hot oven.
No definite rule can be given for the
depth to which seeds should be plant
ed. In all eases the depth should he
uniform. The seed bed should he mel.
Their dry nor too wet
Plants grown In n house, hotbed or
cold frame will require to be hardened
on before planting In the garden.
Hardening OF Is usually accomplished
by ventilating freely and by reducing
the amount of water applied to the
plant bed. The plant bed should not
become too dry
Some plants require protection from
the direct rays OF the sun In summer
or from cold In winter. and there are
many that need special protection
while they are quite small. Seedlings
OF many OF the garden crops are un.
able to force their way through the
crust formed ON the soil after heavy
rains. and IL In necessary either TO
break the crust with a steel rake or
soften II by watering.
For protecting plants from cold In
winter several kinds Of materials are
used. such as boards. cloth, pine
boughs. straw. manure or leaves.
There are u number OF crops OF trop-
ical nature that may he grown far
north. provided they are properly pro-
tected during the winter.
Several of the annual crops can he
matured much earlier In the spring II
they are planted In the autumn and
protected during the winter A mulch
OF manure. straw or leaves forms a
good protection. hut care should be
taken that the mulch does not contain
seeds.
Frequent shallow cultivation should
be employed Ter most garden crops.
and during dry weather the depth
should not exceed two inches. BY
keeping the surface soil well stirred
what Ii termed dust mulch" Is
formed. and. while this layer Of fine
ly divided soil will become quite dry.
II prevents the escape OF moisture
through the pores Of the soil. A mulch
consisting of fine manure. clippings
from the lawn or any similar material.
spread TO distance OF ten or twelve
inches around the plants. will preserve
the moisture. but the mulch should not
be ~ heavy as to exclude the air.
A crust forming over the soil after a
rain or watering Is detrimental to
plant growth and should he broken up
ms soon NJ the land can be worked To