WIND W GARDENING 5 5 



In spring, which is the time that artificial heat will be most required, the zinc 

 reservoirs of your propagating boxes will need to be filled with water, both night 

 and morning. In cases like our first mentioned one, not heated with the lamp, 

 boiling water should be used, and the temperature in the closed case will vary 

 from 60"^ to 75° ; the silver sand as soon as it becomes a little moist, heats the 

 soil in the pots, and the heat is retained for a long time, often 24 hours after the 

 tank was first filled. 



Another home made case is constructed out of an old tea chest ; cut it down 

 about one third, then fit into it a zinc pan 4 to 5 inches in depth to hold the wa- 

 ter, over the top put a large pane of glass, and in such a box, large numbers of 

 cuttings may be raised with much less trouble than a hot bed causes. It can be kept 

 in a back room or in the attic, and filled with small pots of cuttings and seeds. 

 The glass top may be hinged on. But the best designs are, however, thus illustra- 

 ted in Figs. 17, 18, and 19. 



Cold Frames. 



Many plants that have grown out of doors all summer, and may be needed for 

 blooming in the window during the winter and spring, ma}' be safely housed in 

 cold frames. This is a very desirable method for keeping a large quantity of 

 plants. 



A frame may be made very easily and cheap as follows : Take a sheltered loca- 

 tion, protected from the north wind, and well drained, dig down four feet by 

 eight — or four by twelve is a convenient size. 



Insert at each corner scantling posts, rising six inches above the surface in 

 front, and eighteen inches above at the rear; nail boards to the inside of these posts, 

 leaving about six inches space between them and the earth to be filled with manure 

 or tan. 



Outside the posts nail boards above the ground, leaving a space to be filled up 

 with tan, etc. 



Cover the top with double sashes. Fill in the bottom of the pit with small 

 stones, or bits of charcoal, and throw in a foot or more of tan in which to sink 

 the pots. Coal ashes will do as well as tan; they are required to secure dryness, 

 warmth and ventilation. 



When the cold weather comes on, cover the sashes with straw mats or 

 carpeting — and bank up the pit with tan or manure — put a good embankment 

 about the whole pit. 



Place the plants in the pit, in the autumn, and let them have as much air as 

 possible in mild days, covering closely, in cold nights. 



The chief care is to give fresh air in sufficient quantities, and to protect in se- 

 vere weather from frosts. 



Roses, Geraniums, Salvias, Fuchsias, Heliotropes, etc. can be kept quite safely in 

 such a pit, and be ready to force in the windows or conservatory by March. 



