62 — How to Make the Garden Pay. 



simple home-made frames covered with common muslin (or with 

 the waterproof cloth now made for the purpose), might be sub- 

 stituted for the glass sashes, and the plants kept thus protected 

 during the night until danger is past. 



Watering the Beds. — It is not necessary to apply water at 

 this time very frequently, except quite late in the season, and 

 during clear weather ; but when done the application should be 

 thorough — no mere sprinkling will do. The most convenient 

 method is by means of force pump or pressure, and rubber 

 hose. Later the rains of heaven should be called into service 

 whenever they happen to occur at an opportune period. The 

 careful manager, by speedy and entire removal of the sashes 

 from the beds, can often save much labor otherwise required for 

 watering the crops by artificial means. 



In many localities, especially where the seasons are com- 

 paratively long, as in New Jersey, the cold frames after having 

 done duty in the production of vegetables, may then be further 

 used for growing late tomato plants, or for finishing and harden- 

 ing off tomato plants raised in hot-beds. Market gardeners in 

 districts where tomatoes are grown in field culture for the canning 

 establishments, often have considerable call for plants up to July. 

 It is true such plants must be sold low, often at no more than 

 ;^i.50 per thousand ; but as they are grown as a second or third 

 crop, and 600 to 800 of them may be grown under each sash, 

 this feature adds quite considerably to the profits of running cold 

 frames. 



Forcing cucumbers is another industry in which the cold 

 frame is made to serve a good purpose. After the lettuce or crop 

 of wintered plants is cleared off, a few cucumber seeds are planted 

 in center of sash. When the vines are up, ventilation is given as 

 needed, and the sashes removed entirely as soon as the season 

 has pretty well advanced, and the vines begin to crowd the 

 sashes. This crop, coming, as did the other, a few weeks in 

 advance of the earliest out-door supply, generally brings remune- 

 rative prices. Melons can be grown in a similar way. 



The exact dates of planting, what crops to grow, and to what 

 extent for each — all these are questions of local bearing, depend- 

 ing on climate, season, demand of the market, and usual price 

 of products. In every one of these enterprises constant thought 

 and study, earnest consideration of these questions in all their 

 intricacy and various aspects and bearings, and pretty good 

 judgment, are first requisites of success. On these the whole 

 matter hinges, much more than on rules and instructions which 

 at best can be only of a general rather than special character. 



Southern climate often permits the use of cold frames where 

 hot-beds would be required at the north. 



