THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 191 



to a cold frame, where they are gradually hardened, and then 

 they are set out in the garden. If one has a large enough 

 frame, some plants like lettuce may be allowed to mature 

 in the hotbed. 



A cold frame is made in the same way as a hotbed, only 

 no manure is put in to furnish artificial heat. Besides being 

 used to harden the plants started in the hotbed, it may also 

 be used to start seedlings, on the same principle as the hot- 

 bed, but later. Seeds 

 can be planted in the 

 cold frame three or 

 four weeks earlier 

 than they could be in 

 the garden. A simple 

 cold frame can easily 

 be made. A box of 

 any desired size may 



. J FIG. 65. Cold frame. 



be partly sunk into 



the ground in a sunny location, tipping toward the south, 



and then covered with panes of glass. 



A seed box is a shallow tray in which seeds may be started 

 indoors. These boxes may be placed in a sunny window, and 

 three or four weeks' time may be gained on the season in this 

 way. Plants like corn, melons, and cucumbers that are grown 

 in hills may be planted in strawberry boxes indoors early in 

 the season. When danger from frost is past the bottom of the 

 box may be cut off and the whole box sunk in the ground. 



Transplanting. Transplanting is best done on, a cloudy 

 day or late in the afternoon. It is well to water the 

 plants a few hours beforehand, so that when they are 

 taken out some dirt will adhere to the roots. If the ground 

 is very dry, the plants should be watered after they are set 

 out. Not only may plants be transplanted from the hotbed 

 and cold frame, but when plants like beets and lettuce are 

 thinned out, the extra plants may be set out. 



