New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-17
Preparedness Begins
inYourOwnCarden

The impending crop shortage Is one
NJ the most serious problems facing
tbe nation. Tndiriduais and families
ran perform a great PubIic serr'ee oy
raising q crop of regetobies, horeVer
small To aid those 1cho desire 50 10
helm the Tnited States the Depart
ment Of agriculture has outlined the
principles for making success Of me
home regetobie patcb.
The foLolcipg concerns The ra'''"g
of rfgetables in seed bore' N me
house:
Home gardeners who do not own
hotbed and who cannot readily puS
Young plants can get muen carrier
crops of tomatoes. cabbage cau''-
flower, peppers, eggplant ana Ie.,uCr
If they will start the SEED lor -"r'I
early gardens in seed boxes III wv,
house. Early potatoes sometimes are
forced in tho same way. oeeuS
nlanted terminate and are ready TOT
rransplantint by the time It Is saIe
20 sow the same kind Of seed IN the
onen ground. When danger OF tfos1
il over and the soil is dry enough 70
work. therefore, the home garnehel
starts his early garden with seedlings
n,eII above the surface. Transplant
inc If properly done, instead OF hurt-
inc seems to help such plants develop
a strong root system. Hatdeh
thusiasts should get good deal OF
Measure from this kind OF ptelHl'-
nary indoor gardening. ihey also
can use boxes 20 hasten the oloom-
ing period OF many sorts OF MOWERS
when stand transplantlng. -,
Anv sort of wooden box filled Win
good soil answers the purpose. INC
following directions for making seed
boxes and handling the plants nave
been prepared by the Bureau OF !ahL
Industry and the states Relations
Service. United States Department OF
Agriculture, for the guidance OF the
earning ard gardening clubs IN the
North and West:
Making a Seed Box
Seeds of early tomatoes and cab
haze as well as caulifower and pep
peP. should be planted in seed box
H. the house at once. The seed box
.bould be 3 TO 4 inches deep, II 70 "A
inches wide and 20 TO "a inches long;
Iovor of about one inch OF gravel
or cinders should be placed IN the
bottom Of the box: then It should DC
flled nearly full with rich garden sou
or soiI enriched with decayed leaves
or manure. The rich soil beneath the
faroiIv woodplle or around decaying
Iogs * splendid for this purpose
THE soil should be pressed down
firmly with a small piece. Of board
and rows made one-fourth to one
half inch deep and two inches apart
crosswise of the box. The SEED
should be distributed eight or ten TO
the inch in the rows and be covered
The soil should be watered and the
box set in warm place IN the hghV'
in the sunshine by window being
hest. Water enough must be gwen
from time to time TO cause the seeds
TO terminate and grow thrifty, but
not enough TO leak through the box.
II niece Of glass Is used to cover
the box it will hold the moisture in
the soil and hasten the termination
of the seeds.
Take Out Surplus Plants
When the plants are from an inch
10 an inch and half high they
should be thinned to one or two
inches apart in the row, so as 10 give
them space enough 70 make n strong,
stocky growth. If 1t is desired TO
keep the plants which are thinned
out, they may be set two inches apart
each way in other boxes prepared as
mentioned for the seed box When
the weather becomes mild the box Of
plants should be set out OF doors part
Of the time so that the plants will
"harden or" in preparation for trans
planting to the garden later. A good
watering should be given just before
the plants are taken out Of the box
for trunsplanting so that large bal!
Of earth will stick TO the roots OF
each one.