FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOT-BEDS. 53 



better if planted in small flower pots, (3-inch), as they are 

 more difficult to transplant ; they may now also be kept 

 a little closer in the hot-bed than the Tomatoes, as they 

 require more heat. After transplanting, great care is nec- 

 essary that they always be immediately watered, and 

 shaded from the sun until they have struck root, which 

 will be in 2 or 3 days after transplanting. 



The hot-bed is also the medium for procuring us Cab- 

 bage, Cauliflower, and Lettuce plants, for early outside 

 planting, when not convenient to winter them over 

 as described in the uses of cold frames. The seeds of 

 these are sown about the last week in February, are treated 

 in all respects, as regards covering up at night, as the To- 

 matoes, etc. ; but being plants of greater hardiness, re- 

 quire more air during the day. They will be fit to plant 

 in the open garden by the middle of April. The beds 

 they are taken from are usually employed for the re-plant- 

 ing Tomatoes, which it is not safe to plant, in the open 

 ground here, before the middle of May. 



Sweet Potato plants are almost universally raised in hot- 

 beds, but as this is a plant that luxuriates in a high tem- 

 perature, the hot-bed should not be formed to start them 

 until the middle of April. The soil should be a mixture of 

 sand and leaf mold, laid on of the usual thickness on the 

 hot-bed, 6 inches. The tubers are placed closely together, 

 and the same sandy compost sifted over them to the depth 

 of two inches ; some split the large ones lengthwise, and 

 place them flat side down ; they should not be watered 

 until they start to grow. They are fit to plant out about 

 six weeks after starting. 



Two most essential points in working hot-beds are, in 



