392 VEGETABLE FORCING 



the bed and also prevents tearing the sheet in handling. The cost 

 of these frames, including lumber and muslin, together with the 

 necessary facilities for supporting and fastening the cloth, will be 

 from 35 to 50 cents a running foot for a bed 14 feet wide. 



"If it is necessary to refit the land while the frames are in place, 

 the cloth is turned back into the alleys between the frames, the 

 strips that support the cloth are removed, and a 1-horse plow is 

 taken into the inclosure. After the land is plowed and thoroughly 

 fitted, the strips are again put in place. As the work of cultivating 

 the crops must all be done by hand, it is essential that the soil be 

 well prepared before planting." 



Sash-covered frames. Various plans are followed in 

 the North for the making of sash-covered frames. 

 De Baun describes the following plan, which is used at 

 Richfield, N. J. : 



"The soil is previously prepared by being leveled, heavily manured 

 and sometimes plowed. The frames are usually made of spruce 

 boards, 16 feet long, 1% inches thick and 10 inches wide. They are 

 run northeast and southwest with a 5-inch pitch toward the south- 

 east, so that the full benefit of the morning sun may be had. Each 

 frame is usually made 25 sash long and the patch between the 

 frames is usually about 20 inches wide. The frame boards are 

 nailed to 2 by 3 chestnut stakes, 2 7 /> feet long, driven into the soil 

 on the outside of the frames. Bolts an inch in diameter and 23 

 inches long, provided with large washers, are run across the path 

 to hold the boards securely in place. The paths are filled with coal 

 ashes, covering the rods so that the latter cause no inconvenience 

 to the workman when walking in the alleys, and the ashes help also 

 to keep the cold out of the frames and prevent the paths from be- 

 coming muddy. Frames well made will last five years." 



Frames of the type just described are fairly common 

 in the North, except that the bolts in the alleys are not 

 generally employed. Standard sash, 3 by 6 feet in size, 

 are used by most growers. Though thousands of sash 

 are glazed with very small panes of glass, it is desirable 

 to use larger sizes, preferably the 10 by 12 size. If the 

 sash are painted every other year, kept in repair, stored or 

 stacked when not in use, they will last 15 to 20 years. 



