The Ordway new era., 1913-05-30

are not aimed at, these may be sown
in the open as soon as the season OF
frosts is over. or little before. II
care is taken to protect them on sus-
piciously cool nights.
The time when outside sowing, or
transplanting. may be done with
safety cannot be given here, for leay-
ing the difference in season out Of the
question, the southernmost gardeners
might be able to SOW and plant weeks
earlier than those farther north. but
there is one thing that all, regardless
of location. should do, and that Is
to take every precaution to secure
good seeds.
II really interested in having u
good garden, do not fail to get at
least one good catalogue each year;
for knowing what's what in the way
of improved varieties or new produc-
tions means plain dollars and cents
to the gardener as well as added in
terest in the work.
When making out your order. re-
member that while certain varieties
of the different vegetables were the
DeSI pOSSlUle 10 kEO" IL lie" dbo,
they have been improved in many
ways. and search the catalogue for
the last word concerning such i'm
proved varieties. AS an illustration:
A few years ago little was heard OF
chicory (often called succory). ex-
cept as the roots were used as sub
stitute for coffee; little later an i'm
proved type appeared. which was val
ued for the fine leaves. to be used
as a salad plant, under the name of
endive, and now we have 1t with
leaves beautifully marked with pink.
and called "rose-striped chicory." or
orchid salad plant" Again, the green
kale has ben improved to the point
where we can have 1t with the leaves
marked with white. pink and crimson.
for use as garnish.
Another thing the catalogue does
for the gardener is to call attention
to absolutely new things. The de-
partment OF agriculture experimental
with the Japanese lido for long
time. but the general public knew
nothing OF it until 1t was listed In the
catalogue. with both cultural direc-
tions and recipes for serving.
improvements are not In unusual
varieties alone. but are constantly be-
ing made In the commonest sorts.
The peppers of generation ago
were few in varieties. while today
they range from the tiny hot ones to
those of giant size that are SO meaty
they may be sliced and fried, and 30
sweet they are delicious when eaten
raw. or more delicious In a pepper
sandwich. The solid. meaty. few
seeded tomatoes of today are little
like the watery ones OF few years
ago. and so the improvements might
be followed through every class OF
vegetables. and show either better
quality. earlier or later bearings or
some other improved feature to in
tluence the gardeners selection.
Few women take time and trouble
to prepare hotbed, though 1t Will
serve Il double purpose by being later
on, usable as cold frame. 1t Is well
worth while to make one. even though
small and of the crudest description.
but II none Is provided for. be sure
that a good supply Of the shallow
boxes known as flats" are ready for
use in the house during the seed-start-
ing season. The boxes may be of any
length and width convenient to
handle, or suited to the space that can
be given them, but a number of small
ones are easier to manage than few
large ones.
Some seeds are slower to germinate
than others and need different condi-
tions of light and warmth, and II
but one or two similar varieties are in
n fat. they can be moved to stronger
light and a cooler place. when the
change would ruin the advanced ones.
To move these where it was too warm
and not light enough would be to
make them 50 spindling that no after
care could overcome the defect.
The fats need not be over two
inches. or they may be three or four.
In the first case. half an inch OF
drainage material under an inch OF
very fine soil gives a fine seed bed.
The deper boxes. with an inch of