The machine was designed to set out cabbage and tomato plants, but works equally well with trees.  It is about the size of an ordinary mowing machine and is operated by three men and two horses.  One man drives the team while the other two handle the seedlings.  The machine makes a furrow in which the trees are set at any desired distance, and an automatic device indicates where they should be dropped.  Two metal-tired wheels push and roll the dirt firmly down around the roots.  This is a very desirable feature, it is said, because the trees are apt to die if this is not well done.  Two attachments make it possible to place water and fertilizer at the roots of each seedling.  Another attachment marks the line on which the next row of trees is to be planted.

No cost figures are available yet, but officials say that the cost will be much less than when the planting is done by hand.  It is stated that the machine can be used on any land which has been cleared and is not too rough to plow and harrow.—­U.  S. Dept.  Agri.

The Greenhouse versus Hotbeds.

FRANK H. GIBBS, MARKET GARDENER, ST. ANTHONY PARK.

In discussing the subject assigned me, I will only speak of hotbeds and hothouses as used for the purpose of growing vegetables and early vegetable plants.

The hotbed is still very desirable where it is wanted on a small scale to grow early vegetables for the home or market, as the small cost for an outfit is very small as compared to hothouses.  Sash 4x5 ft., which is the favorite size with market gardeners, can be purchased for about $2.00 each glazed, and a box 5x16 ft. to hold four sash can be made for $1.50, making an outlay less than $10.00 for 80 sq. ft. of bed.  With good care sash and boxes will last eight years.

Where the beds are put down in early February two crops of lettuce and one crop of cucumbers can be grown, and when the spring is late three crops of lettuce before outdoor lettuce appears on the market, when the beds are given over entirely to the cucumber crop.  Lettuce at that time generally sells for 25c per dozen, and cucumbers from 50c down to 15c per dozen, according to the season.  From three to five hundred cabbage, cauliflower or lettuce plants can be grown under each sash, or from 150 to 300 tomatoes, peppers or egg plants can likewise be grown under each sash, or where lettuce is grown to maturity six dozen per sash.

The cost of the horse manure for the beds varies greatly, as some are situated where it can be secured very reasonably, while with others the cost would be prohibitive.  The amount required also varies according to the season they are put down.  When the beds are put down early in February, three cords of manure are necessary for each box.  When they are put down March 1st, one-half that amount is needed.  Where there is no desire to get the early market, and the beds are put down March 15th, one cord is plenty for each box.  I have never tried to figure out just what the cost of putting down each box is, or what is the cost of ventilating and watering; but if they are neglected and the plants get burned or frozen, the cost is much more than if they were given proper attention, and, besides, much time is lost in getting another start, as they are generally left several days to see if the plants will recover, which they seldom do.