Arr.iL, 1914 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



171 



and regained its 

 former size. It 

 blooms quite freely, 

 producing flowers 

 very delicate in tint 

 and shading, and 

 beautiful in form 

 with backward fold- 

 ing petals. They 

 are, however, lack- 

 ing in substance and 

 lasting qualities. 



Lady Ashtown 

 has produced more 

 blooms than any 

 other Hybrid Tea 

 set out in my bed in 

 1 91 1. Though the 

 flowers are only 

 medium in size, 

 they are pleasing in 

 form and color. 



In October, I 

 picked a half open 

 bloom of good size 



The Hybrid Perpetuals excel in size of bloom and sturdiness. This is Baroness Rothschild. 



more tender but bloom all the season 



The Hybrid Teas are 



from Mme. Chate- 

 nay. From early 

 summer that bush 

 had been produc- 

 ing, singly, lovely 

 flowers of a sal- 

 mony pink color. 

 As these flowers 

 opened, the petals 

 folded back in 

 graceful shapes so 

 that the deeper 

 color of the inner 

 surface contrasted 

 with the lighter 

 shade of the outer. 

 The bush stood the 

 winter well and 

 started promptly in 

 the spring. It is 

 described as an ex- 

 cellent garden rose, 

 and in my garden it 

 is certainly living up 

 to its reputation. 



The Hotbed and Coldframe in April — By a. E.Wilkinson, 



Cornell 

 University 



APRIL seems to instill every one 

 with the joy of living' and the 

 back-to-the-land feeling. Never- 

 theless, be careful not to be over 

 'enthusiastic, for if tender plants are sub- 

 jected to outdoor conditions without some 

 provision for protection, loss may result. 



The hotbed is now in operation entailing 

 very careful attention as to ventilation and 

 watering, removing the sash during very 

 warm sunny days and replacing them in 

 the late afternoon. Less ventilation is 

 necessary during the night. On some days 

 water will be required both in the morning 

 and the afternoon; the soil and the plants 

 will indicate any need of moisture. 



During this month plants for later trans- 

 planting should be "hardened." This 

 means gradually accustoming the young 

 plants to the outside environment. The 

 change in the plant is first in the structure 

 by increasing the thickness of the cell walls, 

 thereby making these cells more resistant 

 to cold. Second in the color, 

 by changing from a light yel- 

 lowish green to a dark green 

 or even to a purplish shade. 

 Many people will not buy 

 plants in the spring unless 

 they have this purplish tint, 

 preferring a small, broad purp- 

 lish plant to one that is light 

 colored and tall. 



Hardening in the hotbed is 

 accomplished by the removal 

 of the sash a little earlier 

 each morning and allowing it 

 to remain off a little later each 

 succeeding day until finally 

 it is dispensed with. The 

 plants are then fitted for 



outside continuous growth and should 

 be transplanted to their permanent 

 locations. 



Coldframes can be used at this time in 

 place of the hotbeds. Small plants grow- 

 ing in the hotbed can be transplanted to the 

 coldframe and properly hardened in this 



.£LOP& OF' kSAlSH 



GOOD tSOIL, 



"I 



A coldframe differs from a hotbed in having no heating 

 material, and resting on, not in, the ground 



forcing structure. A coldframe differs 

 from a hotbed in not having bottom heat. 



One inch hemlock boards at three cents 

 a foot will bring the cost of a 3 x 6 ft. one 

 sash coldframe to $.54. To this must be 

 added the cost of one sash, a dollar and 

 fifty cents to three and a half dollars. 



The home-made frame can be placed on 



Plants that were started in a frame may now be transplanted to the open ground; or they 

 may be matured in the frame itself 



the soil anywhere in the garden, but per- 

 ferably over a good rich spot. If the soil 

 is poor then four inches can be removed 

 and prepared garden or forcing soil sub- 

 stituted. Bank the outside of the frame 

 with soil or manure, in order to retain 

 warmth; then place the sash in position 

 on the frame, and all is ready. The 

 coldframe is, of course, operated like a 

 hotbed, the sash being raised or lowered 

 for ventilation and strict attention being 

 paid to watering. 



A coldframe can be of any size or shape, 

 but generally four sash are used. The bed 

 is then 6 x 12 ft. 



Not only can plants be hardened very 

 satisfactorily with coldframes but other 

 work with vegetables can be performed. 

 Many plants can be matured in them. 

 For sweet corn in late June or early July, 

 sow the seeds in the coldframe, thin the 

 plants to the required distances for good 

 growth, and allow them to mature. Melons, 

 cucumbers, squashes, extra 

 early tomatoes, eggplants, pep- 

 pers, okra, lettuce, radishes, 

 spinach, endive, carrots, beets, 

 and other vegetables can be 

 grown to edibility in the 

 coldframe, returning crops 

 previous to their natural 

 season. 



If you neglected to install 

 a hotbed, do not neglect 

 having a coldframe now and 

 so push seedlings ahead as far 

 as possible. A coldframe is 

 not so expensive to build 

 as a hotbed, as there is not 

 the added cost of the man- 



ure. 



