FRAMES AND HOTBEDS 117 



Preparations. If coldframes have been idle all 

 winter or new ones made in February, take off 

 about two inches of the old surface soil and spade 

 the balance up well with a spading fork. Give 

 it a good sprinkling of air slaked lime to sweeten 

 it. If the days are mild, remove the sash, putting 

 it on again at night; let it remain in this condition 

 until ready for planting. Just before planting, 

 spread a dressing three inches thick of well-decayed 

 manure and a sprinkling of commercial fertilizer 

 over the surface of the soil, and thoroughly work 

 them in. With an iron-toothed rake smooth the 

 surface until the soil is rather fine. Warm up the 

 soil for a day or so by keeping the sash on tight 

 and this will greatly assist the germination of the 

 seeds. All this should be done early in March. 



Sowing. A most important point for success 

 is in properly sowing the seeds; put them in drills 

 which are one-half an inch deep, cover, and firm 

 the soil. After this is completed, the sash may 

 remain on and a close atmosphere be maintained 

 until the young seedlings appear, which will be in 

 about ten days. Have the sides and ends of the 

 frames banked with good stable litter or leaves to 

 keep out the cold, and cover the sash with salt 

 hay, mats or shutters at night, and at other times 

 when the mercury goes below the freezing point, 

 which is often the case; sometimes the mercury will 

 go as low as 10° at this season. Remove the cov- 

 ering on all bright and mild days. A good indica- 

 tion of the proper time to cover the frames is when 

 the glass begins to frost over. 



