Starting the Plants 75 



Plants may be bought of the florist or market 

 gardener. If so, they should be personally selected, 

 some time ahead, and gotten some few days before 

 needed for setting out, so that you may be sure to 

 have them properly "hardened off," and in the right 

 degree of moisture, for transplanting, as will be 

 described later. 



By far the more satisfactory way, however, is to 

 grow them yourself. You can then be sure of hav- 

 ing the best of plants in exactly the quantities and 

 varieties you want. They will also be on hand when 

 conditions are just right for setting them out. 



For the ordinary garden, all the plants needed 

 may be started successfully in hotbeds and cold- 

 frames. The person who has had no experience with 

 these has usually an exaggerated idea of their cost 

 and of the skill required to manage them. The skill 

 is not as much a matter of expert knowledge as of 

 careful regular care, daily. Only a few minutes a 

 day, for a few sash, but every day. The cost need 

 be but little, especially if one is a bit handy with 

 tools. The sash which serves for the cover, and is 

 removable, is the important part of the structure. 

 Sash may be had, ready glazed and painted, at from 

 $2.50 to $3.50 each, and with care they will last ten 

 or even twenty years, so you can see at once that 

 not a very big increase in the yield of your garden 

 will be required to pay interest on the investment. 



