COLD FEAMES. 29 



Every three feet narrow strips or cross-ties should 

 be neatly mortised in the rear and front boards, and 

 then nailed in position. These give more strength, 

 and also make a support for the sides of each sash 

 when the plants need covering. Cold frames differ 

 from forcing-beds only in having no bottom-heat. 



The soil should be a good quality of garden-soil, 

 and at least twelve inches deep. Before transplant- 

 ing, this soil should be well forked over, making it 

 fine and mellow, and then raking the surface level. 

 From five to eight hundred plants may be set under 

 each sash of 3 x 6. If the weather is warm at the 

 time of transplanting, it may be well to shade the 

 plants for a few hours in the middle of the day. In 

 case the plants are more than three inches high, 

 when transplanting them, to prevent their growing 

 any more during the Fall, it is better to remove the 

 sashes from the frames every mild day, until such 

 time as the cold weather sets in. 



Cold frame plants require but little attention 

 during the Winter months ; an occasional airing on 

 mild days will be quite sufficient. This can be done 

 by raising the rear or side of each sash, and placing 

 a support under it for three or four hours in the 

 middle of the day. Dm-ing very cold weather this 

 is not necessary, nor does it at all injure the plants 

 to be frozen. The gardener's care is to prevent, if 

 possible, the too frequent alternations of freezing 

 and thawing brought about by the sudden changes 

 through the Winter. As the weather grows milder, 

 approaching Spring, the plants should have plenty 

 of air every day. Within comparatively few years 



