Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-04
CARE OF THE HOT.BEDS
AND COLD.FRAMES.
Ventilation. Temperature aud Noist-
urc, the Ne, Note to Success.

urc, the Re, Note to success.
Some gardeners prefer planting their
early seeds in what are known as flats
tshallow boxes about 14x0 inches in size
ana two to four inches deep. and set
ting them on warm soil in the hot-beds.
while others prefer to SOW directly in the
beds, claiming that in this way they ub.
tain better results. Both methods. how
ever, have their points; the use Of flats
has one very strong point in its favor,
namely. convenience Flats are easily
made from ordinary-sized cracker boxes.
and one of the size mentioned will hold
from 300 10 sn cable ge. lettuce. celery,
cauliflower. or beet plants, and from 25G
to Con tomatoes. eggplents. or psppVrs
Among the Vegetables which may be
started in March in tho latitude 81 New
York. Chicago. and Kansas city are;
Beets. cabbage, cauHflower. tomatoes.
celery. cucumber, eggplant. lettuce, pep
pers. and radishes. The seeds should oa
sown in rows four to six inches apart.
covered with a thin layer of dry sifted
compost and pressed evenly aud eir,nlr
with a flat narrow board
EARLY PLANTING
The first planting OF the secd- shoul1 be
of the early varieties. the second plant
Ing made about ten days Inter. should
include eggplant, tomatoes and peppers;
tho third sowing. made ANpUr She fret
week IN April. should iucl.dc muck
fneions. sweet corn. linn beams. cuc,IrN-
bers and mn squash. Nj these later
seedS should bc planted in paper pots
about five or SIX inches in diameter. IN
a rich co.npost IF fine son and Did well
fottc1. Sjftrd manure. Tho seedlings Of
tn" first sowing, as soon as they arc
ready (Which is when the second tr,io
leaf begins to show are transrla nteG.
setting about LOO IN y flat. or, in case
the seeds have beer sown directly IN thr
soil of the hot-bed. they are lifted anu
transrianted into an empty bed allow
ing from one to three inches between the
seedlings. depending upon the nature of
thu plant. If q 1ixn inch sized flat I,
used, eight of them will FIN n sash, or
Loo plants.
The seed soWn. the gardener. who
would o~utstrlp his neighbors, must watch
over his seedlings with an eye to their
welfare. which means that ventilation.
temperature. and moisture must he ar
ranged to their liking. Ventilation is all
solutely essential, often an hours delay
In raising 81 nh will result in scorching
the plants and irreguiarity i'm RAISING
usually means only splndling plants. In
ventilating consult the thermometer reg
ularly, and when II registers 10 degrees.
raise the sash more or less depending
largely on the outside temperature. If
there Is bright sunshine and cold wind.
little ventilation s%uffices, but If the wea-
ther Is calm. mild and sunny. admit more
air, and always raise tn" sash on the OPP
posite glide from who're any wind Is blow
ing In watering use a fine rose water
ing pot. and Il the water IS warmed 10
p temperature of 20 degrees all the bet
ter Water should be Withheld If the tenn
perature is falling. hut on pleasant days
water freely before thu sun strikes the
plants. and don't water again until the
plants seem to need il. and the extren"
" drenching should always be avoided.