Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1919-03-12
Get thing q Start NJ it'll
the Victory Garden

l5s ~ = 80 y - 80
All patriotic Americans who had the
lavailable ground, planted War Gardens
last year, and it Is just as necessary
THAT it should now be turned into q Vic
ever, the regular necessities OF life
showing no signs OF coming back to any
thing approaching normal times. How
lever, with our Garden to fall back upon
we can lessen conside rably, our house
hold expenses, and what is even Of more
Importance, raise vegetables Ola quail
ty, which excels by far the purchased
article. It is yet rather early to do
much with the Garden beyond having
| the manure hauled on while the ground
is hard so that when the weather be
comes favorable and the land dries out
sufficiently no time may be lost in turn
ing it over by pillow or spade.
Preparing the Hot Bed for Early
Sowing 5#s#
This is, however, the logical time to
set the hot bed to work, that a start
NAV be made with these seeds which
require to be sown in heat. This will
include peppers, egg plants, tomatoes,
cabbage and caulifower though the two
last named may be safely sown in a
cold frame early in March if the sash
is well covered at night during periods
Of excessive cold weather. In prepar-
ing the hot bed the soil must be taken
out to depth Of eighteen inches and
replaced with heating material which
may consist of strawy horse manure
mixed with leaves. The manure and
leaves having been kept under cover a
few days previously and turned several
times so that mild and lasting heat
may be generated. The hot bed should
be located in warm, well sheltered
position facing south, that it will re-
ceive all available sun provided with a
slope from back to front, the back
boards may be - to 10 inches, and 6
inches less in front. After the heating
material has been put in place and con-
solidated and made level by thorough
treading, it is then covered with four
inches Of fine compost which should
neither be very light nor vet Of a heavy
nature. BY the aid Of sand, leaf mould
or old rotted manure, no difficulty will
be experienced in making the compost
just right The heat will rise very
rapidly at first, and the rank steam
must be allowed to escape by propping
up the sash an inch or two. When the
heat falls to IS degrees sowing may be-
gin. The seed may either be sown di-
rectly in the bed or in wooden flats, the
latter for preference, as all the subse-
quent operations may be conducted
under cover, removing the flats to the
hot bed as they are sown or seedlings
transplanted.
The soil should be watered few
hours before sowing that it may be
partly dried out and so be in just a
right condition for working. Sow thin
~ in shallow drills covering the seed
not more than quarter of an inch. If
the seed flats are covered with paper
the soil will not dry out so quickly and
seeds terminate sooner in the dark, pro-
vided they are supplied with air,
moisture and warmth. A temperature
Of about 20 to IS degrees should be
maintained for egg plants, peppers and
toma toes. therefore, it it rises much
above the high figure, air must immedi-
ately be given. AS the days lengthen
the sun becomes more powerful so that
the heat in the frame will rise very
repidly, and should no ventilation be
given the tender seedlings run the risk
of being much weakened. 1t is there
FORE necessary that close attention be
paid to airing and at the same time
watering. Water should always be
given during the early part Of the day
the water being slightly warmed. BY
watering in the morning the plants vii
have time to dry off before the sash is
closed for the day. Should the foliage
be wet. and the atmosphere damp oyel
night it is just the condition whereby
the damping off diseases may be en-
: couraged, and from which many mil
lions of seedlings are destroyed eacl
spring. rs
! OF quite as much Importance as man
ure the land must be properly prepared
for the reception of the crops. Thi
preparation consists of turning it owe
deeply, at the same time working in tn,
manure If the operation is carried GU
with the spade it is simple matterst,
break up all Jumps or clods of cart
with the spade as digging proceeds, TO
! what we have to aim for is a well pull
verified soil. thoroughly disintegrated
and made as fine as possible This fin
condition of the soil is also necessar
!. for the seed bed in order that the earl
growth may be encouraged. although
/ for a certain time the seed supplies t
the young plant which is being deve
. Oped from it all the nOurishment 1t re
{ quires but, as the little rootlets wi
! soon have to take upon themselves tn
q duty of obtaining food from the sol