88 



HOTBEDS, COLDFRAMES, AND FLOWER PITS 



Directions for Growing Transplanted Plants 



__ 



Crop 



Onions 



Beets. . .„ 



Head lettuce .... 

 Early cabbage . . . 

 Early cauliflower 



Kohl-rabi 



Tomatoes 



Peppers 



Eggplants 



Celery 



Summer cabbage 

 Sweet potatoes. . . 



Muskmelons 



Cucumbers 



Late cabbage 

 Endive 



Dates of sowing 



Feb. 1 



Feb. 20-Mar. 1 



" 20- 



" 20- 



" 20- 



" 20- 



March 1 



" 1 



" 15 



" 15 



" 15 



April 20 



" 20 



" 20 



" 20 



" 15 



No. of 

 shifts 



Distances in fiats or 

 beds, or size of pots 



Not shifted / 

 Not shifted 

 2Y 2 " pots 

 2" in flats 

 2" in flats 

 2" in flats 

 2" & 4" 

 2" & 4" 

 2" & 4" in pots 

 2" in flats 

 2" in flats 

 Not shifted 

 Not shifted 

 Not shifted 

 Not shifted 

 Not shifted 



/Dates for 

 transplanting 

 to the open 



April 10 



" 10 



" 10 



" 10 



" 10 



" 10 



May 15 



" 15 



June 1 



" 15 



May 1 



June 1 



May 15 



" 15 



June 15 



Aug. 15 



EXERCISES AND PROJECTS 



1. Types of Beds and Pits. — Study the different types and sizes of hotbeds> 

 coldframes, and deep vegetable and flower pits in your region. What cover- 

 ings are used? Note the advantages of the various ones. Also study the spec- 

 ial uses made of them by gardeners. 



2. Construction. — Make a hotbed and a coldframe and run them for a 

 season. Grow such plants as may pay best in your locality. Record all cost 

 of material, labor, and seeds. Also record value of products and thus deter- 

 mine the probable profit through a series of years. 



3. Pits. — Conduct a project in a way similar to that suggested in No. 2, 

 in the construction and use of a vegetable and flower pit, or several of them. 



4. A contest between students may be started in connection with Nos. 2 

 and 3. Let history or story of the work count 20 per cent, records 20 per 

 cent, methods 25 per cent, and financial results 35 per cent. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What are the chief purposes of hotbeds? 



2. Describe the making of wooden frames for hotbeds. 



3. What are some of the ways of providing glass and sash for hotbeds? 



4. Explain the two ways by which a manure hotbed is heated. 



5. Give directions for the ventilation of hotbeds. 



6. Give cautions regarding watering. 



7. Compare coldframes with hotbeds. 



8. Enumerate the uses of coldframes. 



9. Describe a good flower pit. 



10. What are the chief uses of deep winter pits? 



References. — U. S. Farmers' Bulletins: 

 Truck Gardening; 1044, City Home Garden. 



460, Frames as a Factor in 



