Norwich bulletin., 1919-02-14

answering them, now, in the hope that either my correspondents or some one else may have a little encouragement to try for early tomatoes, this year.
 For it is now high time that those who like myself, have to start their early plants in a window garden" should have their seeds in. We cant the kitchen stove and the sunny south window the foster parents Of our young plants, have to begin prepara- tiOns earlier than those more fortu- nate. who can start their seeds in costly plant nurseries. with steam pipes under the seed beds. etc.
 Really, I begin my preparations for one spring. the spring before. That is last May or June, and started work on the pOtting soil which I am using this spring. I have two big bay win dows which will accommodate about two thousand little plants on shelves and brackets For so many it wouldn't do to rely on chance dirt from cellar tIns or the like. So I lay in stock each fall as regularly as I put in my potatoes. It is stored in boxes in the cellar and is ready for use any time.
 To make this betting soil, I cut from some closely gnaWed SWaTd-prefera- Lily that of a sheep pasture-squares of clean turf about two inches thick very much as if l were going to re- sod a Worn-out lawn These are laid down bOttOm-side up in a warm cor Ter of the bdTn-yaTd in single thickness, Then upon them is laid a sandwiching of straWless COW dung of about equal thickness. Over this goes another layer of turfs followed by an other of COW manure, and so on till the desired height is reached. Three or four times during the summer tkis l pile is cut down and s5rked over, so l that by September it is a homogeneous | heap, half Totted grass-roOts and half ! manure. l used to add sand to this but learned by experience that this ! did not help me any and so gave it | up Instead, I mix with it a little l ground limestone when ] have it han | dy This p0tting soil is put into boxes
 in the cellar just before hard frosts set it, Sometimes I have to throW d few pails of water on it during pro- II tracted drouths, to insure its com p}ete rotting down.
 But for thoaa who desire to raise ! OElY a dozen or two tomato plants fo1 extra early this preparation is rot ab- I sCiutelE necessary. Usually enough
 dirt can lie found in the bottom of po- \ tato or other root bins for sIch needs II And the addition of a li-t,e ground bone or other fertilizer E=ill generally
 make it rich enough,
 Now, as to starting the seeds. Prob | ably the most convenient and sim plest way is to use small trays. Old Il fashioned square -cOrnered pie tins arc my stand-by But anything not oveI two inches deep and small enough tC handle easily will do.
 Put a good inch of sifted dirt il Cne of these smoothing over the sur ! face till it ia fairlv level. Scatter tn, seed upon this. Then with a bit 0 board or little paddle press the see, ] down into the soil Don't put you whole weight into the operation. bu 1 press hard enough so that the who'll surface looks slick and 1ha seeds ar well settled into if. Then sift owe them enough fine dirt to cover then al least as deep as they are big A lit s tlC more will do no hurt but too muc1 4 IS worse than not enough. Do no I press this covering. dirt or even pa # it. Let it fall and rest as lightly a may be. Then give the tray a goo $ mCistening.
 The best thing for this is one o j the rubber bulb plant sprinklers to b
 had at any seed store But carefu sprinkling, much after the old-fash S toned style of sprinkIinS clothe 5 against next days ironing, win d n well enough. Put it on lightly, so a 2 not to disturb the almost fluffy dt1 I with which you have covered tn I seeds. Then lay Q sheet of cardboar <, Cr thick paper over the tray and SC it behind the kitchen stove, Or soul
 other. warm spot, Watch it day D
 day, adding water as the top show
 signs of drying out, till the shoots be = sin to appear, Then throw away th . card board cover.
 As soon as the tiny plants are we ' above. the top, the trays can he place . of q daytime in any warm sunny vii | dow. But they must be taken from
 unusually cold nights or other time = when there is any danger of the ,' freezing. Great care must be exel l. csed at this stage about the watcria
 They must not be "Gamped off whit |, will result if over-waeered. TT ; greatest danger lies in the directiC e of too much water The tendency
 10 kill them with kindness. It wi
 do little harm if the very top of u n dirt gets quite dry. SD long IS the!
 is sufficient moisture in the lower SC - where the roots are. Just how to fir
 and keep the rue balance in this ma
 ter can only be learned by experfenc
 and not always by that For bt
 ginners it might be a good idea
 start two trays, watering one as muc
 as often as kindness seemed 70 sue
 gest and the other only half as muC
 and half. as often. See which tur1 p out best and then you'll know ft next time.
 As soon as the little things in u
 tray begin 70 show the second set v leaves. it is safe to transplant the into separate pots. Two 'nch DO
 are big enough for the first time. r
 bit of stone or broken earthenwa
 loosely over the hole in the bntto
 of the pot: fIl less than half with pr d pared soil; carefully with an O a kitchen knife prick out a seedli, it from the tray, breaking the roors 'S little as may be, and se1 it upright V the center cf the little not. Hoidil is it so with ore or mora fingers, s ", mellow dirt around it ti3 the roots a b. well covered Then with the el y, of the finger compact this dirt fir 10 " about the roots Keen the firgn 3t nail towSrds the side of the poT al Id then it won't injure the plant as "
 press down. Add IirlIo more t!i - and ,compaS it again. Fhen sift ld spo%nful or two of light dirt over { 9- top fer a mulch.
 it Have reauy a two or three m, 5y deep WloGen tray the size lh1t Vt ar window sea- will acco lIuulatA. Co o CT the bottom with at least m inch " lirt--any kind will do, pc0r.ltd 1t is . rebbly. As you fill your pots sr. rlir r. in this tray, imbedding them iu to enough in the loose dirt to hold tn nt in place. WEen all ar5 transplant o0e2 and all the Dots are ir this winGc = 1 c-t.-1, tEnlll 2 tLn.aIln oh Sn1l-i1a.r !.