GARDENING OVER A WINTER FIRE. 257 



almost worthless. When set in the open 

 ground they wilt right down. In the hands 

 of i careful gardener who can give it his 

 own supervision, and who carefully transfers 

 the tender plants from it to a cold frame, and 

 from thence to the open ground, a hot-bed is 

 very useful. But in our March weather it 

 requires considerable judgment and constant 

 watchfulness. To tell the truth, I make little 

 use of them, save for forcing lettuce in March. 

 For this purpose I find them excellent, and 

 have lettuce growing nicely now, the last of 

 February, though the thermometer has marked 

 six below zero during the present week. 



As I have shown, I winter over in cold frames 

 hardy vegetables ; and even for raising the ten- 

 der ones in spring, I prefer the ordinary cold 

 frame, with ground made fine and very rich, 

 sowing the seed of hardy plants early in March, 



and of the tender ones the first of April, and 

 17 



