THE HANDLING OF THE PLANTS 177 



In addition to these coverings of straw or matting, it is some- 

 times necessary to provide board shutters to protect the beds, 

 particularly if the plants are started very early in the season. 

 These shutters are made of half-inch or five-eighths-inch pine 

 lumber, and are the same size as the sash — three by six feet. 

 They may be placed upon the sash underneath the matting, 

 or they may be used above the matting. In some cases they 

 are used without any matting. 



In the growing of plants in hotbeds, every effort should be 

 made to prevent the plants from growing spindling, or becoming 

 '' drawn." To make stocky plants, it is necessary to give room 

 to each plant, to be sure that the distance from the plants to the 

 glass is not great, to provide not too much water in dull and cold 

 weather, and particularly to give abundance of air. 



