38 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



may, by this means, be kept in bloom during the win- 

 ter. They are also useful for bringing forward, early 

 in spring, beds of Hyacinths and Narcissi. They 

 should be protected by carpets or mattings at night 

 and during the colder days, and exposed to the heat of 

 the sun on bright days when the soil is not frozen. 

 When it is, they must remain covered and thaw out in 

 the dark, to be aired when the weather is above freez- 

 ing, but draughts across the bed must be avoided, as 

 they will certainly blast any buds there may be. 



The cold-frame in winter must have good drainage, 

 or much damage will ensue from water standing 

 around the roots of plants. The surface of the bed 

 must be above the level of the land outside and a 

 trifle lower at one corner. From this corner a trench 

 should be dug having an outlet, or a deep hole may 

 be dug and filled with broken crockery and stones 

 to carry off all surplus water. 



The sand-box is a receptacle for the summer stor- 

 age of plants which are not to be bedded out. It is 

 also used to prepare plants for winter blooming, and 

 for experiments with novelties in house-plants. It is, 

 finally, the ideal place for rooting cuttings. I have 

 never known a plant capable of being started from 

 cuttings that would not take root in the sand-box. 

 Any shallow box that may be reached across easily 

 is suitable for this purpose ; or a deep box may be cut 

 down to six or eight inches and rendered available, 

 the length depending on the plants to be accommo- 



