EXTENSION OF THE FRENCH SYSTEM 61 



poses. Of course Strawberries grown in pots could 

 also be forced in the frames if necessary. 



Cloches would be found useful for placing over the 

 crowns of the Strawberry plants, if these were planted 

 in three angled rows in the same way as Lettuces, as 

 shown in fig. 41. Each plant would have a cloche 

 to itself, and in cold weather warm manure could be 

 packed in between and around the glasses to keep the 

 plants warm. Later on, when the weather became 

 warmer, it might be possible to have a Cos or Cabbage 

 Lettuce planted in the spaces between the cloches ; 

 and these would probably be useful afterwards for 

 placing over the Lettuces, according to the season. 



2. Tomatoes. In most parts of the kingdom it is 

 dangerous to place Tomato plants in the open air till 

 the end of May or early in June, owing to the frosts 

 and cold nights. If, however, hot-beds of the regula- 

 tion width to accommodate three rows of cloches were 

 prepared, and a gentle heat from the manure were 

 secured, it would be quite possible to sow Tomato 

 seeds under a cloche or two as early as January or 

 February, in the gritty mould that would be placed 

 over the manure. The strongest plants would be 

 pricked out in due course, and after becoming estab- 

 lished, air would be given more or less freely by tilting 

 the cloches on all favourable occasions. This would 

 keep the young plants sturdy and actively growing at 

 the same time. If by chance they grew too tall for 

 the cloches before it was safe to dispense with the 

 latter (one being placed under each as soon as possible), 

 the glasses could be raised on three tilts, bricks, or 

 blocks of wood, in the way described for Cucumbers 

 at p. 128, When frost is no longer feared, the cloches 



