206 



THE NEW HORTICULTURE. 



epidemic of rust on them this spring. It will be remembered 

 that we had early and repeated frosts and light ice, several 

 times last fall, a very unusual thing at that season, and the 

 Michel plants were in full growth. The question is, Can we 

 not utilize this quality of early fall and winter bearing ? I 

 would suggest^ on a high location, that a bed about eight feet 

 wide be thrown up well with a plow, after being thoroughly 



STRAWBERRY BED, UNCOVERED. 



fertilized. On top of this place an ordinary coldframe five 

 feet wide, made of i x 10 or 1 2-inch plank for sides, con- 

 nected by strips about two feet apart, cut rounding, as shown 

 in the illustration, to support the oiled cloth and shed the 

 rain. After stretching common white cotton cloth of a good 

 grade, to make it last it should be thoroughly oiled with a 



STRAWBERRY BED, COVERED. 



paint brush, or the cloth might be dipped in the linseed oil 

 and wrung out, and then stretched to dry on the bed. I 

 have used such a covering for tomatoes, and found it will 

 protect from a freeze much better than the ordinary frost- 

 proof cloth sold, or even than glass sash. Of course, the 

 main point is to keep out a freeze. We have an ordinary 

 temperature warm enough in winter to perfectly mature 



