66 AROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN 



as the plants begin to reach the size for setting out. In the 

 greenhouse or hot-bed fresh air should be given every day. 

 As soon as the weather is warm enough the hot-bed sash 

 should be stripped off entirely during the warm days. 

 Plants in the greenhouse should be transferred to the cold- 

 frame or to some sheltered spot where they can be protected 

 from late frosts some time before they are wanted to be set 

 out of doors. As much fresh air as possible should be 

 given, without too greatly lowering the .temperature. 

 Direct drafts on the plants, or too sudden variations of 

 temperature, should be avoided. 



Light. Even an abundance of fresh air will not keep 

 seedhngs from "drawing up" into spindling, worthless 

 plants when they are kept in dark or shady corners. FuU 

 light should be given. Any seedhngs that seem inclined to 

 grow too tall should be kept as near the glass as possible. 

 To make even growth the potted plants should occasionally 

 be shifted round to prevent their becoming one sided, and 

 those that are on the back or center of the bench should be 

 put toward the front. Potted plants for bedding, which are 

 usually kept in the pots for a longer period than the vege- 

 table plants, should be handled over this way occasionally, 

 and the surface of the soil Hghtly broken up. 



Temperature. The temperature, whatever it should 

 be for the plants to be grown, should be kept as constant as 

 possible. It is an easy matter to get the house or the 

 frames too hot when long, bright days come. Sashes can 

 be removed, but in the greenhouse it is often impossible 

 late in the spring to keep the temperature down, even with 

 all the ventilators open. Shading the glass may be neces- 

 sary. A weak whitewash or even a very thin clay mud may 

 be used for temporary purposes. 



Protection. The old adage about an ounce of preven- 

 tion apphes here with double force. All the conditions, such 

 as extremes of watering or temperature, overcrowding, 

 shady corners, and so forth, which are unfavorable to 

 growth, invite trouble from insects and disease. Fresh air, 

 abundance of room and sunshine discourage these troubles. 



