FRAMES AND HOTBEDS in 



sunlight, (4) they lessen the force of rain, yet admit 

 it as a gentle spray, to the plants, (5) they cause 

 stronger, stockier growth, and more vigorous plants 

 than do glass sash, and (6) the seedlings may be 

 earlier transplanted out-of-doors without injury. 



HOTBED MATS 



Where hotbeds are used all winter some kind 

 of mat or added protection is essential. Ordinarily, 

 you will be able to find about the house, old carpet, 

 matting, burlap, or bagging which do well enough 

 for one or two sash. When you are growing vio- 

 lets, parsley and other hardy plants, or when you 

 are merely holding over cabbage, etc., four or 

 five inches of loose hay or straw will serve. But 

 this is neither neat, permanent, nor easy to keep 

 on the frames in the face of winter winds, and if 

 you have any spare winter hours, you may enjoy 

 making some real hotbed mats, which will last 

 for several years, are an excellent protection, easy 

 to handle and simple to make. Where long, straight 

 straw is available it is the first choice; but want- 

 ing this, you could make a very serviceable mat 

 of hay, or salt marsh grass, overlapping the ends 

 of the bundles and if necessary using more strands 

 of twine. However, if you can get straw, you might 

 just as well follow these instructions to the letter. 



A HOME-MADE STRAW MAT 



I took two pieces of 2 x 4-inch rough spruce 

 timber, about ten feet long, laid them on the floor, 



