January 1857

IN such parts of the Union where the ground is not at this time bound up with frost, continue to dig the waste quarters of your kitchen garden, first giving them such manure as they require; laying them in high sloping ridges, to sweeten and be improved by the frost, &c., more especially if the soil be of a stiff nature; by which method its adhesion is destroyed, the pores are opened for the admission of air, frost, rain and dews, all of which, abounding with nitrous salts, contribute, in a high degree, towards its melioration and fertility; and besides, a great quantity of ground thus prepared, can be soon levelled in the spring for sowing or planting; which, if neglected, would require much time to dig in a proper manner, and that at a period when the throng of business requires every advantage of previous preparation.

When the ground at this time is frozen so hard as not to be dug, which is generally the case in the Middle and Eastern States, you may carry manure into the different quarters and spread it, repair fences, rub out and clean your seeds, prepare shreds, nails and twigs for the wall and espalier trees, which are to be pruned in this and the next month; get all the garden tools in repair; and procure such as are wanting; provide from the woods a sufficient quantity of pea-rods, and poles for your Lima and other running beans; dress and point them, so as to be ready for use when wanted.

Here it may be well to remark, that many people who neglect to provide themselves with pea-rods at this season, when it can be so conveniently done, are necessitated, when the hurry of business overtakes them in spring, to sow their peas and let them trail on the ground; in which situation they will never produce, especially the tall-growing kinds, one-third as many as if they were properly rodded.

Many will think that the instructions hereafter given for the raising of early Cucumbers and Melons, in frames, are too diffuse; especially in a country which abounds in these kinds of fruit, produced in such quantities, in summer and autumn, without artificial heat, or very much trouble. The remark may be just, but the principal motive for giving these lengthy instructions is, to exercise the young gardener in the art of managing Garden Frames in general; an art absolutely essential to every good Gardener, and which cannot be better exemplified than in the raising of early Cucumbers and Melons. And besides, these fruits coming into use at an early season, will be much valued and As eeveral other kinds of kitchen garden vegetables are desirable at an early season, such as cresses, rape, lettuce, mustard, radishes, do., to cut while young; asparagus, radishes, peas, kidney beans, dc. to be forwarded in early perfection; cauliflower and cabbage plants, to succeed those sown in September, and to produce a principal crop for early summer use; you should now provide the necessary supplies of hot stable dung, rich earth, and other requisites proper for their cultivation in hot-beds, as explained for each, under its respective head.*

If not already provided with hot-bed frames and lights, you may get them made agreeably to the following instructions. Large frames * The whole of these requirements may be more effectually seenred by close and compact low houses, heated by hot-mater ripes. Thougli more expensivg at first, there is a fanl saving. • • ought to be made of inch and half, or rather two inch plank, of the best yellow pine, nine feet two inches long, four feet ten inches wide, as high again in the back as in the front, to give the top a due slope to the sun and a proper declivity to carry off the wet when covered with glass lights, to move off and on occasionally; every joint ought to be tongued, the better to prevent the admission of cold air into, or emission of warm air out of the bed, but in such manner as the Gardener may think proper.

The back and front are to be nailed to corner posts, so as to admit the ends to fit in neatly, which onds are to be made fast to the posts by iron bolts keyed in the inside, for the greater facility of taking the framo asunder when necessary; each end must be made one inch and a half higher than the back and front, so as that one-half its thickness may be grooved out on the inside, for the sash to rest and slide on, and the other half left for its support on the outside; when finished give it two or three good coats of paint before you use it, and with a little care and annual painting, it may last you twenty years. These frames will take three lights of three feet wide each, each light containing tire rows of glass panes, six inches by four, overlapping one another about half an inch, which of all other sizes is the most preferable, on account of their cheapness in the first place, the closeness of their lap, their general strength and trifling expense of repaire; however, each person will suit his own convenience as to the dimensions of glass.

Where the sashes when laid on the frame meet, a piece of pine about three and a half inches broad and near two thick, should run from back to front, mortised into each, for their support, and for them to slide on; in the centre of which, as well as in the ends of the frame, it will be well to make a groore five-eighths of au inch wide and near a quarter of an inch deep, rounded at bottom to receive and carry off any wet which may work down between the sashes. But with respect to particular dimensions of frames, they are difterent, according to the plants they are intended to protect, but gonerally from nine to twelve feet long, from four feet eight inches to five which they are to fruit.

As it is generally the ambition of most gardeners to excel each other in the production of early cucumbers, &c., all necessary preparation should be made this month for that purpose, by preparing dung for hot-beds, in which to raise the plants; for they, being of a tender quality, require the aid of artificial heat under shelter of frames and glasses, until the middle or latter end of May, especially in the Middle and Eastern States.

But by the aid of hot-beds, defended with frames and glasses, we obtain early cucumbers, in young green fruit, fit to cut or gather in February, March, and April, &c., and ripe melons in May and June. The proper sorts of cucumbers for the early crops are the early Kenyon’s free bearer, Syon House, and Walker’s Improved; of which the first sort comes earliest; but the latter is considerably the finest fruit, and greatly preferable for general culture.

The following cut represents a house built for forcing the cucumber, which may be done in the coldest weather with perfect success.

If you have lettuce plants in frames, or under hoop-arches defended with mats, let them enjoy the open air at all opportunities, Ber smith alose, but it tobics and ren, lo bee the ria. in that state, be carefully protected from the hot sun, which would materially injure them. In very wet weather, and when sharp cutting winds prevail, keep the glasses over them, observing, however, to raise the lights or glasses ehind two or three inches, in mild days, to admit air to the plants: or, it they are kept too close, they will be drawn up weak, anc attain to but little perfection; but let the glasses be close shut every same care be observed to those under hoop-arches; but let them have the full air in mild open weather.

Or where any lettuces yall or board fence, dc.,: it rolan to adrie ble, in bard frost to to them as above. In the above lettuces, 1n general, pick ott all decayed leaves wher any appear, keep them always cleared from weeds, and destroy slugs which often greatly annoy them; and in mild weather stir the surface of the earth between, which will much enliven the plants.

When lettuces have not been sown in autumn for early spring use, you may now sow any of the cos* or cabbage kinds, on a slight hotbed under glasses, to be planted out in spring; the young plants may be greatly forwarded, if pricked into another fresh hot-bed next month; and in the latter end of March, or beginning of April, tuey will be strong, and fit for transplanting into warm borders; a sufliciency way be retained in the frame to arrive at early perfection.

Hot-beds for forcing asparagus may be made with success any time this month, which will furnish young asparagus for the table in February and March. It may also be forced under the stage of a warm Ubserving, for this occasion, you must be furnished with plants hat have been raised in the natural ground till of three or tour years rowth, of proper size and strength to produce eligible crops of good sized asparagus shoots, when planted in a hot-bed; and must be provided with plenty of good hot dung, wherewith to make substantial nights, &c. Forcing Asparagus in February, which is equally applicable on the present occasion.

Better in boses and bac or te orious, plant it is res old to. • early season, in young green shoots, for salads and mint-sauce, de. A bed for a small or middling garden frame, of one or two liguts, nar be sufficient for supply of a moderate family: and in general about two feet thick of dung; set on the frame, and lay about four or five inches deep of earth on the bed, ready for planting. Then having some roots of common spear-mint, place them upon the surface, pretty thick, and cover them with earth about an inch and n half deop; or you may place the roots in drills, and draw the earth over them. The mint will appear in about a cek or fortnight, and will be in fine order for mint-sauce, &c., and oither to use alone as a salad, or to mix among other small herbs.

By the same means you may obtain green tansy and tarragon.

Nake a slight hot-bed, in which to sow the different sorts of small salading, such as cresses, mustard, radish and rape, and likewise lettuce, to cut while young. The hot-bed for these seeds need not be more than about two feet thick of dang, and must be covered with a frame and glasses. earth must be light and dry, and laid about four or five or six inches thick on the bed; then let small shallow flat drills be drawn fron the back to the front of the bed; sow the sced therein, each sort separately, and very thick, covering them not more than a quarter of an inch deep with earth; or, if but just covered, is sufficient, and the plants will rise more expeditious and regular; or the sced may be Sown thick all over the surface of the bed, each sort separate; smooth it down with the spade, then sift as much light earth over as will just cover it, as above observed, and directly put on the glasses; or in want of frames and lights, may use band-glasses, observing in general to cover the glasses every night, and in severe frosty weather, vith mats or straw littor, &c. or the weather i plaini or by pare then a mech a rap the state wise they will be apt to mould or fog, and spoil as fast as they come It must be remembered that where a regular succession of these small herbs is required for salad, should repeut the sowings, at least once a fortnight.

If you hare not hot dung to spare to make hot-beds for this purpose, may sow in a sloping bed of natural earth, under a shallow garden frame, covered with glasses: allotting for this occasion some warm compartments of rich earth in the full sun: preparing it in a sloping manner fronting the south, a foot higher on the north side than in front. Set a frame thereon, sinking the back part, &c., so as to have the whole surface of the earth within six or eight inches ot the glasses; sow the salading, put on the glasses, cover them care ully with mate, dc., at night and in very severe weather, and you need not doubt of succoss; though, generally, a hot-bed will always prove the most effectually successful on this occasion. •

which were raised and planted in trames last autumn for protection in winter, to plant out in spring for an early summer crop; and where withered or damaged leaves appear, let them be picked off; suffer no weeds to grow among them onliven and cherish the plar the surface gently between, which will In open weather let the plants have plenty of air every day, by raising the glasses, or by taking them entirely off when the weather but generally continue the glasses over in rainy weather nep them close dows every night, and do not open them at all in severe frosty weather. In serere weather cover the glasses every night with mats, straw, or fern, do., also, it there be occasion, in the day-time, in very rigorus frost; likewiso, in such weather, lay some litter round the out.

Bides of the frame, for this will be very serviceable in preventing the frost from entering at the sides. Caulifiowers under hand or bell-glasses must also have air every mild day, by raising the glasses two or three inches on the warmest side; in sharp weather keep them close; in severe frost lay some litter round, and straw or mats over each glass; this will protect the plants greatly; in mild dry weather the glasses may be taken of every day for a few hours; but they must be kept close every night.

Sow cauliflower seed the beginning, middle, or any time this month, to raiso plants to succeed those sown in autumn; or also, in case none were sown at that time for an early summer crop, or that they have been killed by the severity of the winter; but in order to bring the plants up soon, and forward them in growth, it will be necessary to sow them in a slight hot-bed. Plants sown at this season, if well managed, are to be more depended on for a general crop, than those which were sown in autumn, as they are not so apt to button or run co seed in April or May as the others, and will produce their flowers within ten days as enrly; though such of the autumn raised plants ns do not button, generally produce larger flowers and earlier.

Nako the bed as directed for cucumbers, in page 21, to about three feet high, which, when settled, will fall to about two feet six inches, and put a frame on; then lay four or five inches of rich earth over the bed, sow the seed on the surface, but not until the violent hoat of the bed is over; cover it by sifting or otherwise, with light dry earth, about a quarter of an inch deep, and then put on the glasses. When the plants appear, let them have air every day that the weather will permit, by raising the upper ends of the lights an inch or two; and in very mild weather, the lights may be taken off enirely for a few hours in the warm part of the day: the plants must not be kept too close, for that would draw them up so weak as to render them of little value; therefore give them as much air as possible, consistent with their preservation and promotion of growth; but let them be covered carofully at night, and in very severe weather.

Water them frequently, but sparingly, with water which has stood over nigut in the hot-bed; keep them free from weeds, and in one month they will be it for transplanting into another hot-bed. (Sce

This is a proper time to sow a full crop of early cabbage seed, to and early Vanack: they are to be treated in every respect, as directed for the cauliflower plants, with this difference, that as they are somewhat more hardy, & less degree of heat will be suflicient. Sow also some of the large late kinds of cabbage, such as the flat Dutch, drum-head, &c., likewise some of the red pickling cabbage; and plants from this sowing will be it for use in July, August, dc., and will produce better and larger heads than if sown in April or May; and besides, they will immediately succeed the early summer kinds above mentioned.

In some families young carrots are required as early as possible, and they may be forwarded by sowing the seed in a moderate hotbed, about the end of this month. Nake the hot-bed about two feet thick of dung, and procure some light, rich, dry earth, which lay six inches thick on the bed. the seed thinly on the surface, and cover it with the same kind of earth a quarter of an inch deep. When the plants come up, let them enjoy the free air in mild weather, and cover them in cold nights, and also in very secre frost, bilst young; and when an inch or two high, thin them to about three inches asunder; and you will thus have young spring carrots for drawing in April and May. The early horn carrot is the best for this purpose.

in order to have radishes as early as possible, recourse must be had to the assistance of hot-beds: therefore, any time in this month, make a moderate hot-bed for one or more garden frames, only about two feet and a half depth of dung, sufficient just to promote the early germination of the seed, and forward the plunts moderately without radish, sow it evenly on the surface, press it into the earth with the back of a spade, cover it nearly half an inch deep with light mould, and put on the glasses. When the plants appear, gire them a large share of air, either by

taking the glasses, sic., entirely off, whenever it can be done with safety, even for half an hour at a time, or tilting them up high at one end, as the weather will permit, otherwise they will draw, or run up long shanked, and be spoiled; and after the plants have been up & fer days, thin them regularly with your hand, where they stand too thick, and leave the strongest plants standing not less than an inch asunder. Support a gentle heat in the bed, when it declines, by applying a moderate lining of hot dung.

Mushroom-beds should be carefully attended to at this season. They should have sufficient covering to defend them effectually from the frost, rain, or snow; which should not be less than two feet thick; and if heavy rain or snow should have penetrated quite through the covering, this must be removed immediately, or your of clean ald diy diet or pediar, anglin or rito oldoverbed. more effectually from wet and cold, it is advisable to spread some large garden mats, or canvas cloths, over the straw, which will greatly preservo the beds.*

Artichokes, if not landed up bofore, should not be negleeted any longer, except the severity of the frost prevents it: in which these plants are liable to suffer greatly by rigorous frosts, it is advisable to give some tomporary, protection, first clearing away the old Icares close to the ground; then dig between, and earth up the plants, as in Norember and December. But the work of landing up artichokes should always be performed in November or December; for which see the work of these months. It should never be omitted; for it is the most general effective method of preserving the plants in severe winters. And after they are landed, if the frost should prove very severe it will also be proper to lay light, dry, long litter over the rows: i the plants are of the true globe sort, too great care cannot be taken to pag them and on openin su serene to teruit the grant ion mong them; and

In Georgia, South Carolina, and such parts of the other southern States as are not subject to winter frosts, you may sor carrots, parsneps, * The most economical and sure way to grow mushrooms is in a cella or shed, where a temperature of 500 to 550 is maintained