HOTBEDS AND COLD FRAMES. 89 



Do not endeavor to obtain, by the exclusion of the 

 outside air, that heat which the manure and sun should 

 supply. By close attention to watering, airing and 

 early afternoon closing, the development of hotbed 

 plants may be advanced ten days over others not so care- 

 fully looked after. It may be in place here to observe 

 that much trouble may be saved by having all the sashes 

 of uniform dimensions, as, if interchangeable, by a little 

 good management a few sashes will often serve twice the 

 number of boxes ; for, by moving the sashes along as the 

 sowing progresses, their places being supplied by board 

 coverings, much can be accomplished. 



After hotbed plants reach from two to three inches 

 in height, they may be transplanted to other boxes or 

 frames. These frames may be filled with good soil, 

 heating manure being unnecessary, as the sun's rays in 

 April or May should afford sufficient heat to advance 

 them to a healthy growth. The soil in these frames 

 should rest on a ten-inch drainage bed of rough manure, 

 cornstalks, or trash, and should preferably be of two 

 layers of distinct consistency, one a heavy soil on top of 

 the drainage material, with three inches of light sandy 

 soil on top of it. By this means the plants can be taken 

 up for setting out in the open ground without injury to 

 their fiber, which would be the case if the surface layer 

 was of compact loam. The experienced gardener collects 

 in the autumn the soil for his hotbeds, well knowing 

 that Jack Frost, at the time he wants his hotbed soil, 

 generally has it tightly locked up in an icy embrace. 



Transplanting Tender Plants Do not trans- 

 plant to the field too early. It is best to cut tomatoes 

 back to two inches when four inches high, which opera- 

 tion makes them stocky, new buds will appear at each 

 leaf stem, while the root will become more fibrous. 

 Indeed, tomatoes well cut back and given plenty of air 

 need not be transplanted from original beds, but can go 



