McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-03-17
START THE PLANTS EARLY
In the Great Tomato Growing District }
OF West Tennessee the Earliest Cars
Bring the Highest Prees--Plans to
Follow for Good Results.

(By Charles A. Kefer, Division az
Extension, University Of Tennessee.l
Do You want tomatoes in July?
Then plant the seed in hot bed iii
January; transplant in hot bed in
February; transplant again in a spent
hotbed or a cold fame in March, and
set the twlce,transplanted plants ia
the field or the garden as soon as dan
ger of frost is past in April In the
great majority of cases it is the early
plant that makes the big profit Here
in Knoxville the first home grown to-
matoes on the market have been
known to bring five dollars q bushel
land the grower sold several bushels
at that price,, while the price went be-
low fifty cents bushel when the full
crop was on. In the great tomato
growing districts Of West Tennessee
the earliest cars bring the highest
prices. Start the plants early, and
keep them growing To do this hot
bed is necessary. Hot bed sash are
three by six feet in size, and should
have three rows OF glass per sash.
The bed should be six feet wide, AMI
any times three feet In length, Its si2s
depending on the number OF plants
to be grown. For home garden
single sash viii enable tie gardener
to grow all early plants of every kind
needed, but a hot bed six to twelve
feet long will be found the best size for
the home garden. In the Southern
counties of the state, and for late
beds, frames covered with canvas or
heavy sheetirg can be used In place
OF glazed sash
EXcavate a pit eighteen to twenty
four inches deep, running east and
west, and make frame OF boards to
fit, the frame being six inches higher
on the north than on the south side.
Place twoby-fours from front to rear
for the sash or canvas frames to rest
on. For regulation sash the supports
should be three feet apart on centers,
and the ends OF the frames should DO
beveled.
For heating, either a simple furnace,
with fue running the length OF the
frame, or horse manure is used. Tho
manure should be turned from time to
time as collected, to prevent too rapid
heating and to secure even heating
throughout the mass When ready to
make the bed, spread layer OF ma
nure six inches deep in the bottom III
the pit and tramp firm, and continna
until twelve to eighteen inches OF
tramped manure is in place Then
cover with five inches of rich, ioar1y
soil Place the sash, and when the
highest heat is passed lin about
week II conditions are favorable--tse
bed will be ready for seeding. Sow
seed In drills three inches apart, and
save abundant space for trangplanting.
Radish may be grown in twenty days
in the hotbed. Use the Rapid Red 81.
Icicle variety and drop the seed aboHt
three-quarters OF an inch part. Head
lettuce, caulinower, pepper, eggplant
and tomato can be started in hotbeds,
While beet and forcing carrot can ba
grown to maturity. In March sow a
hill of cucumber or cantaloupe to each
sash for extra early fruits.
Give air freely during the heat OF
the day. Even in cold days the sash
should be raised very little for few
minutes, and when the outside temper
AZURE is so degrees the sash may be
removed entirely, bat the frames
should be closed before the cool of the
afternoon, as chilled plant win not
thrive. -e
Care in watering and airing and at
tention to transplanting will insure
stocky, vigorous plants for the garden.
With little experience the gardenerl
will find the hotbed constant sowcelS
of satisfaction.