CONSTRUCTION AND CARE OF HOTBEDS 



be slipped, their tops level with the sash and their 

 lower sides extending slightly below the level of 

 the ground; the top board will, of course, need to 

 be sawed on the same slant as the ends of the 

 frame. These not only serve the purpose of sepa- 

 rating the several portions of the bed, but also fur- 

 nish a firm support for the sides of the sash and 

 of closing any cracks that may exist in the joint- 

 ure of the sash. 



All sash should be in a good water-tight condi- 

 tion, and no cracked glass or defective putty should 

 be tolerated. It will be well if the amateur gardener 

 acquaint himself with the use of putty, and so pro- 

 vide against the loss, by sudden breakage of glass 

 by hail, carelessness, or other causes, of a valuable 

 lot of plants. There are few things more prone to 

 disaster than hotbed sash, and it might be helpful 

 to know in this connection that broken glass is 

 easily and quickly removed by the application of 

 hot iron to the putty. 



Where the ground is to be used for other pur- 

 poses in the summer it will only be necessary to 

 construct a frame about a foot high in front and 

 eighteen inches at the back, with corner posts of 

 equal height, as in this case the frame merely rests 



[57] 



