CHLAPTER VII. 



PROPAGATING BOXES, HEATING CASES AND COLI? FRAMES. 



There are always some plants that are very difficult to start without some 

 bottom heat, and all amateur gardeners cannot possess a hot bed. But the heated 

 case affords to them the greatest facilities for striking cuttings, raising seeds, and 

 bringing well established plants into rapid growth. 



A home made case may be made in the form of a double cube, say twelve 

 inches wide and high, and eighteen inches long. A concealed tank of zinc filled 

 with hot water, will give out and retain the heat from twelve to twenty -four 

 hours without changing the water. No lamp or extra heat need be used, and 

 the cases are perfectly clean and unobjectionable, while they can be with a little 

 mechanical skill, rendered very ornamental and agreeable objects for any parlor 

 or sitting room. 



It is best that the entire frame work be made of wood, and the sides and top 

 consist each of a pane of glass fitted into the frame ; or in other words, it is a small 

 glass show case with open bottoms. One of the sides may be arranged so as 

 to slide out to give greater ease in arranging the plant within and for cleaning 

 the glass. The top may be movable, fastened by hinges, and lifted up one or two 

 inches occasionally for ventilation. When the plants are in bloom, the entire side 

 or top can be left open all day. 



The wood work may be either painted or be constructed simply of black wal- 

 nut, oak, and oiled ; either will look well. 



In some of our horticultural stores there are cases already constructed for prop- 

 agating purposes which fill the exact need. 



Figs. 17 and 18 are manufactured of galvanized iron, one being about three feet 



Fig. 17. 



long and two wide, the other one foot by eighteen inches A shallow boiler about 



