150 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 
a proportionately lower price, and put the glass in 
yourself, if you prefer to spend a little more time 
and less money. However, if you are not familiar 
with the work, and want only a few sash, I would 
advise purchasing the finished article. In size they 
are three feet by six. 
Frames upon which to put the sash covering may 
also be bought complete, but here there is a chance 
to save money by constructing your own frames — 
the materials required being 2x4 inch lumber for 
posts, and inch-boards; or better, if you can easily 
procure them, plank 2 x 12 inches. 
So far as these materials go the hotbed and cold- 
frame are alike. The difference is that while the 
coldframe depends for its warmth upon catching 
and holding the heat of the sun’s rays, the hotbed 
is artificially heated by fermenting manure, or in 
rare instances, by hot water or steam pipes. 
In constructing the hotbed there are two methods 
used; either placing the frames on top of the ma- 
nure heap or by putting the manure within the 
frames. The first method has the advantage of 
permitting the hotbed to be made upon frozen 
ground, when required in the spring. The latter, 
which is the better, must be built before the ground 
freezes, but is more economical of manure. ‘The 
manure in either case should be that of grain-fed 
horses, and if a small amount of straw bedding, or 
leaves — not more, however, than one-third of the 
