CHAPTER II. 



On the Making and Managing of Hot-Beds and 

 Green Houses. 



HOT-BEDS. 



63. I am not about to lay down rules for per- 

 sons who can afford to have cucumbers in March. 

 This amounts to something little short of folly in 

 England: in America it would be something 

 worse. But, Hot Beds, as things of real use, 

 are more necessary in America than in England; 

 becau^fc in the former country, the winter will not 

 suffer to exist in the open air many plants, which 

 are wanted to start with the warm sun, and which 

 plants the winter will suffer to exist in the open 

 air in England. The American Sfiring bears no- 

 resemblance to that of England, which comes on 

 by degrees from the end of February to the be- 

 ginning of June : while the American Spring 

 cannot be said to be of a fortnight's duration. 

 There is in fact, no Spring : there is a Winter, 

 a Summer and an Autumn, but no Spring ; and 

 none would ever have been thought of, if the 

 word had not come from Europe along with many 

 others equally inapplicable. 



64. This sudden transition from a winter, 

 which not only puts a total stop to, but effaces 

 all traces of vegetation, to a summer, which, in 

 an instant, creates swarms of insects, or warms 

 them into life, sets the sap in rapid motion, and 



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