HOTBEDS AND GREENHOUSES. 77 



advantage in such cases to shade as well as water them, if the 

 sun is shining-. If a long continued spell of cloudy weather is 

 followed by a period of bright hot sunshine, it is not uncom- 

 mon to see plants wilting that have plenty of water in the soil 

 surrounding them. In such a case it may be desirable to 

 shade them somewhat in the middle of the day until they get 

 used to the sunlight. In cold weather it is a poor plan to 

 water most of our plants at night, since the water will cool off 

 the air and the plants may be checked in growth, but in hot 

 weather the reverse is true and plants seem to get more bene- 

 fit from a good soaking in the evening, when they can have all 

 night to take the water in, than if it is applied in the morning 

 and followed by a hot sun. In watering hotbeds in very cold 

 weather use a fine rose sprinkler, and if practicable tepid 

 water. At other seasons good lake or cistern water is per- 

 fectly safe, and is generally used by commercial growers at all 

 times of the year. Avoid getting the soil water-soaked. 



The leaves of lettuce and some other plants are liable to 

 burn if watered when the sun shines brightly on them in warm 

 weather. 



The soil should vary somewhat in texture for different 

 plants but all garden vegetables will flourish in much the 

 same kind of soils. For use in glass structures a light, 

 friable, rich, sandy loam is best. This is easily obtained 

 when one has been using hotbeds, by mixing some of the old 

 rottel manure which has been used for heating them the pre- 

 ceding year, with any good sandy loam. If sandy loam can- 

 not be had, clay loam may be used and sand added to the mix- 

 ture. The manure from old hotbeds is especially good for 

 this purpose and should form about one-third of the bulk of 

 the soil. 



Boxes. In the case of many plants having small seeds, it 

 is a good plan to start them in boxes instead of growing them 

 in beds, on account of the better care that may thus be given 

 them. When plants are to be marketed, it is often best to grow 

 them in the boxes in which they are sold. Frequently, too, 

 where plants are started in the greenhouse and then moved to 

 the open ground, it is most convenient to have them in boxes. 

 For this purpose boxes should be about four inches deep and 

 the size of a soap or cracker box, which may be cut down for 



