SASH-BED CONSTRUCTION 11 



quick maturing vegetables as radishes and 

 lettuce, and thus extend the season for sev- 

 eral weeks or even months. They may also 

 be used for starting and protecting early in 

 the season, other slower growing crops such 

 as melons, which are not transplanted but are 

 allowed to mature in the beds. A gain of 

 several weeks may thus be secured in the 

 time of ripening. Well constructed and pro- 

 tected hotbeds will withstand a temperature 

 as low as zero if it is of short duration. 



Location. The location for the hotbed 

 should be (i) relatively high; (2) well drain- 

 ed; (3) exposed to the sun throughout the 

 day; (4) protected from north and north- 

 west winds; and (5) either comparatively 

 level, or sloping toward the south or south- 

 west. For convenience it should be near 

 some building which may be used as a work- 

 room, and should be close to a supply of 

 water. The south side of a building is often 

 an ideal location, although there is some dan- 

 ger, if the building be a light colored one, 

 that the hotbed may become overheated. 



Sash. Standard hotbed sash are 3x6 

 feet, and from i% to i% inches thick, the 

 latter being more durable but heavier to 



