THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



the beds from the incursions of vermin of various 

 kinds as mice and moles, two mischievious ene- 

 mies of the hotbed and coldframe. 



The size of the beds will depend upon the size 

 of the sash used. If the frame is to be of plank and 

 the sash discarded window sash, which, by the way, 

 is by no means to be despised, the beds will be of 

 a size to correspond. It will always be found an 

 advantage in constructing hotbeds, especially if the 

 beds are set against a building and are only to be 

 approached from one side, to have them of a size 

 that may be easily reached across, as nothing is 

 more tiresome and unsatisfactory than to try to 

 care for a bed too wide to be easily reached in all 

 of its parts. Three feet will be as wide as can be 

 conveniently handled, but the length may be as 

 long as desired. 



In excavating the pit for the frames it will be 

 found a convenience, where there are several sash, 

 for the pit to be in one long excavation, the neces- 

 sary divisions being made by partitions in the 

 frame itself, and which need not extend below the 

 surface of the ground; these partitions, being re- 

 movable, may be lifted in the spring, when the 



beds are to be made, leaving the full size of the 



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