turned under. Frequent and thorough diskings of the soil
before planting will aid greatly in controlling weeds and will
provide a better seed bed for the vegetables. After plant-
ing, the garden should be cultivated often enough to keep
down the weeds and prevent a crust from forming on the
surface of the soil.
          Advance the Season by Using a Hotbed
   Use a hotbed for starting plants such as early cabbage,
tomatoes, eggplant, pepper and head lettuce which do not
have time to mature properly if started outdoors. The hot-
bed should be located on the south side of a building where
it will get the full benefit of the sun's rays and the protec-
tion afforded by the building. Dig the pit two feet deep,
and make the frame of one and one-half inch boards. The
frame should be twelve inches high on the north side and
six on the south. The standard width of a hotbed is six feet,
while its length depends on the number of sash available.
   Fill the pit with fresh horse manure which has begun to
heat evenly. Pack the manure well, especially around the
edge of the pit, and put four inches of rich garden loam on
top. In about three days the temperature will have dropped
sufficiently so that the bed will be ready for the seed. Sow
it in rows three inches apart. The seed should be started
about March 10. Transplant the seedlings at least once
before planting them in the garden.
                  Plant Seed That Grows
    The seed used in the garden and in the hotbed should be
 of the best and should be purchased from a reliable seed
 firm. If the seed is bought from the grocery store, insist
 upon getting seed that is fresh and will grow. Some of our
 vegetable seed, such as tomatoes, beans, squash, cucumbers
 and muskmelons can easily be grown at home. Care must
 be taken, however, that the seed is selected from the best
 plants and that the varieties do not cross.
                  Avoid Untested Varieties
    For the home garden, choose standard varieties rather
 than freaks or novelties. They should be of the highest
 quality and should be so selected that they will maturf
 throughout the whole season. Usually two or three varietieu
 are sufficient. For example, Jersey Wakefield, Succession
 and Danish Ballhead form a succession of high class varieties
 of cabbage that cover the whole season. An early and a late
 variety, such as Bonny Best and Stone, are sufficient for
 tomatoes.
    The earliest planting in the garden includes the hardier
  vegetables such as radish, peas, lettuce, spinach, early turnip
  ondl      AAT;n-A -wes  a  nu asn an aus the ground is fit to work
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