THE FLORAL WOULD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 145 



and as vegetables respire, however slowly, a certain degree of heat 

 must be produced during that process. In germination, heat is 

 sensibly evolved ; a piece of ice placed on a growing leaf-bud dis- 

 solves, when it would remain unchanged in the open air ; and 

 experiment has proved that the surface of growing plants is three or 

 four degrees higher than the surrounding medium. 



Again, the internal temperature of a large trunk is always higher 

 than the surrounding atmosphere ; and though young shoots are 

 sometimes frozen through, the general structure of the wood and 

 bark is such as to conduct heat so slowly, that the internal warmth is 

 never reduced beyond what seems necessary to vitality. During 

 germination this heat is most perceptible; and though it be rapidly 

 dissipated by the extent of surface exposed to the air, 100° have been 

 noted during matting, and 87° in the flower of a geranium when the 

 atmosphere was only at 81°. 



THE USES OF THE GARDE M FRAME. 



{Continued from page 116.) 



THE GARDEN FRAME AS A PROPAGATING BED. 



fOT the least important application of the garden frame, 

 for the purposes of utility and decoration, is that of 

 forming; a bed in which to propagate a stock of plants 

 for bedding out in the flower borders at the commence- 

 ment of the ensuing summer. Apart from the pleasing 

 results which are obtained from a propagating bed, there is a great 

 deal that is interesting and instructive in the process of propagation 

 itself; it is one of the most wonderful provisions of the Creator that 

 there should be so many various means of increasing and distributing 

 the greater part of plants, which, unlike the animal creation, are 

 destitute of locomotion and consequently have less power in them- 

 selves of extending their species. It is therefore in this mode of 

 using the garden frame that the amateur horticulturist will in all pro- 

 bability derive the greatest amount of gratification. 



By about the beginning of July the cucumbers will furnish a 

 good supply of fruit, which at this season will have become so 

 common, that it will not be necessary to continue to occupv the 

 frame with them. The balsams, cockscombs, tomatoes, and all the 

 other tender plants of which we have already treated, will now be 

 planted out in the open ground ; the annuals which occupied the 

 exterior of the bed will also have been removed to their several per- 

 manent situations, and, above all, the heat in the bed will in all 

 probability be exhausted ; so far as concerns the old bed, therefore, it 

 will be of little use for the object we have in view; the frame must 

 therefore be removed from the old bed, and so far as regards the 

 cucumbers that are left, the natural temperature of the season will 

 be sufficient to bring them to maturity. There must then be a new 

 bed formed, and as we have given instructions on this subject 

 M»y. 10 



