GARDENING OVER A WINTER FIRE. 259 



With the first of March commences the ut- 

 most activity with the cold frames. The sun 

 has now gained such power, that so hardy a 

 vegetable as lettuce will commence growing 

 under glass. The leaves are therefore thrown 

 out of the frames, and the soil, made very rich 

 and fine last fall, is now heated up by keeping 

 the sash on tightly a few days, and then set 

 out in plants which we have been keeping in 

 the storage frames. As soon as these are thus 

 emptied, they are forked over, enriched, and 

 filled with plants for heading also. By the 

 middle of the month the sash can be taken ofif 

 the storage frames altogether, and all your glass, 

 save that used in starting new seeds, employed 

 in forcing lettuce and radishes for market. 

 Even in this winter of '73 > the severest we have 

 ever known, I expect to carry safely through 

 eight thousand plants, and by March 1 5th to 

 have at least two thousand set out for heading 



