no FRENCH MARKET-GARDENING 



cloches at night. These, however, must be taken 

 off as early as possible every morning, and air must 

 be given freely on all genial days. In very severe 

 weather, not only are mats used, but manure is also 

 heaped round the frames, and leaves or litter are 

 placed round the cloches. 



When the temperature is so low that it is unsafe 

 to take off the mats, or to give light and air to the 

 plants, one must be careful not to uncover afterwards 

 when the sun is too bright, nor yet to give too much 

 air. It is better to avoid rapid changes in temperature, 

 and to admit light and air carefully after a long period 

 of darkness and a close atmosphere. 



Final Planting of First Crop. Early in December 

 the hot-beds are made up, and a layer about 7 in. 

 thick of rich sandy loam and leaf -mould, or old manure 

 and sandy soil (three parts of manure to one of soil), 

 is spread evenly over the surface. 



Before taking the young plants from the beds or 

 cloches in which they were pricked out, they should 

 be well watered. They are then easily lifted, each 

 one with a nice ball of soil attached to the roots. 

 The plants should be carefully examined, so that 

 only clean healthy ones shall be planted. " Blind " 

 plants that is, those in which the centre has been 

 destroyed and has come malformed and any that 

 are too coarse in growth, besides those affected with 

 disease at the base, are to be discarded. Six Cauli- 

 flowers are then planted under each light, three in 

 a row at the top or north side, and three in a row 

 at the bottom or south side. After planting, they 

 are watered well and air is excluded for two or three 

 days until they recover from the transplanting. 



