The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-04-17
ADVISE
FOR The GARDENERS
Montana Extension Service)
Quantities of Seed

order and now mucn TO plant tt
meet the family vegetable require
ments is often rather puzzling to tn
beginner in gardening. No doub
the seed houses could relate ever
more humorous stories than the on.
about the man who was starting {
back yard garden for the first time
and thought a half pound of seed Of
each variety in the catalogue would
be sufficient.
To the inexperienced there is con.
siderable difficulty in deciding upor
the amour of seed to get and fo1
them the following figures showing
the amour of seed necessary to
plant a row 100 feet long to some
of the familiar garden crops, will
be of help.
Beans, one pint; beets, two ounces
carrots, one ounce; endive, one o..
kohlrabi, u ounce; lettuce, 1 ounce;
onions, l ounce; parsley, u ounce;
parsnips, Il ounce; peas, l quart
radishes, 1 ounce; satisfy, 1 ounce;
spinach, 1 ounce; turnips, u ounce
rutabagas, IL ounce.
Seed Estimates
Of the crops that are started in
doors and transplanted, the follow
ing estimates of the number of
plants produced by one ounce of
seed will be helpful: Cabbage, 1000;
caulifower, 1000; celery, 5000;
peppers, 1000; and tomatoes, 1900.
For those crops that are planted in
hills the following estimates are
given for the production of 100 hills:
Corn, 1 pint; %cucumbers, 2 ounces;
pumpkins, 8 ounces; summer squash,
2 ounces. 1t is always advisable to
plant plenty of seed. The above
amounts, of course, are estimates
and will vary with coalitions but they
will serve as a guide.
Buying Plants Sometimes Best
While the hot bed should be con-
sidered a part of the necessary equip
ment on a farm, and will prove of
value to the town gardener who
takes up the work on a little larger
scale than ordinary, the average
small gardener need not delay his
gardening activities because of lack
of a hot bed. Many of those plants
which require a long season for prop
er development and which must be
started early in the spring under
glass. later to be t~ransplanted to the
garden, may be started in boxes IN
the house. Light and temperature
are the chief considerations and If
these can be had to suit the demands
of young plants, excellent plants
NAV be produced. Ordinarily, how
ever, it may be advisable for the
small grower to purchase such plants
from those who make a business of
growing them.
Tomatoes may be started in not
beds or in the house during the first
three weeks in April, although many
prefer to start them earlier. The
seed should be sown in well pre-
pared soil in a box or fiat. When the
plants begin to crowd they should
be transplanted to other boxes, plac-
ing them about two inches apart.
Again when crowding takes place
thew should be transplanted, this
to pots or cardboard soil rings es-
pecially prepared for the purpose.
When all danger of frost is past
the plants should be set out in the
garden, about 10 inches apart If the
single stem system is to be used or
from three to four feet apart other
wise.
@. Early every spring something
eats holes in the leaves of my young
radish, turnip and cabbage plants.
What is it?
A. Quite likely the trouble is
caused by the 1ea-beetle, n of the
first insects to appear in the spring.
They are about the size of the head
of a pin and get their name from
their ability as jumpers, resembling
the flea in this respect. They may
be almost black, greenish or striped.
Their habit of falling to the ground
at the least disturbance makes 1t
difficult to find them and if found
thew are not likely to be associated
with the leaf damage. An easy n
effective way of controlling them is
TO place a little powdered %arsenate
of lead in a small sack made of two
LAYERS of cheese cloth and using this
to dust the plants.
@. The soil in my garden is too
heavy for best results. What car
do to remedy this? :,
A. A good heavy application OF
will loosen up your soil. 1t
does not have to be well rotted for
the fresher it is the longer it will
last. If you have but a small patch,
two or three loads of sand may be
spread over the gardens and then
thoroughly mixed with the soil. Also
ashes may be used but the breaking
down of certain kinds of ashes into
fine particles may leave a soil condi-
lion as bad as that at the start.