THE MANAGEMENT OF FRAMES 



161 



and covered at night in the same way. If we use them alone, 

 they will bring on our young plants two or three weeks ahead 

 of the ordinary sea- 

 son. If we use 

 them with hot-beds, 

 we can transplant 

 into them, by way 

 of making our 

 plants hardy ; or 

 we can start in 

 them a second crop 

 of the plants that 

 we need the most. 



At any rate, our 

 frames, whatever 

 kind we use, will, if 

 only we use them 

 right, give us strong 

 plants early. We 

 can transplant from 

 them, or we can 

 leave some of the 

 plants to mature 

 there. Radishes 

 and lettuce can 

 grow in the frames 

 until picked. Tomatoes, asters, and carnations can remain 

 after the frames are stored, and will give fruit or flowers 

 before midsummer. 



We can even use cold-frames with perennials, such as 

 rhubarb, asparagus, strawberries, violets, peonies, or bulbs. 

 We cannot put the hot manure under them, of course ; but 

 by the aid of glass we can get our flowers or vegetables weeks 

 ahead of the season. 



M 



Fig. 84. — Hardening-off cucumbers, melons, and 

 marrows. Strawberry boxes are better than pots. 



