SPRING SOWING 95 



plants get harder the lights may be removed entirely on fine 

 days, but not before taking the precaution to put an old 

 fruit net over the frame, or there will be trouble with the 

 birds. I ought to have said that at the time of sowing the 

 seeds a few small pieces of bread-and-butter should be 

 coated with phosphorus paste and placed about among the 

 pots to poison mice that may be present. Prevention is 

 better than cure in such cases. After the plants are nicely 

 up and in leaf the lights should only be put on in the event 

 of very wet or frosty weather. In cases of prolonged frost 

 or snow it will be wise to cover the frames with mats, but 

 do not coddle the plants too much ; take the mats off every 

 day and admit air, if only for an hour or two. A little 

 frost will not hurt the plants when they are moderately 

 dry at the root ; therefore the necessary watering should 

 be done as much as possible when the weather is mild. 



Spring sowing in pots should be done in February, and 

 as February is an unusually cold month it will be best to 

 place the pots on a shelf in a cool house until the plants 

 are through the soil, when they may be taken to a cold 

 frame and treated similarly to the autumn-sown plants, 

 adopting the same precautions against mice, slugs, birds, 

 and frost. 



Where a fairly large quantity of plants is required, say 

 from three to four dozen of one variety, boxes may be 

 employed in place of pots, and they can be handled with 



