Covers for Hotbeds 



65 



For coldframes, however, various oiled papers and 

 water -proof cloths* may be used, particularly for 

 plants which are started little in advance of the open- 

 ing of the season. For late work, cloth is often better 

 than glass, because the beds do not become so hot 

 and dry. When these materials are used, it is not 

 necessary to have expensive sash, but rectangular 

 frames made from strips of pine seven -eighths inch 

 thick and 2% inches wide, halved together at the cor- 

 ners and each corner reinforced by a square carriage- 

 corner, such as is used by carriage -makers to secure 

 the corners of buggy boxes. These corners can be 

 bought by the pound at hardware stores. The glass 

 is bedded in putty. No putty should be run above 

 the panes, because it will soon be loosened by the 

 freezing of the water which collects under it. The 

 panes should be lapped, not butted. 



Hotbed covers. — Some protection, other than the 

 glass, must be given to early hotbeds. They need 

 covering on every cold night, and sometimes during 



* There are water-proof hotbed cloths in the market. Or one may make 

 his own by using one of the following formulas : 



1. Use a sash without bars, and stretch wires or strings across it to serve 

 as a rest for the paper. Procure stout but thin manila wrapping-paper, and 

 paste it firmly on the sash with fresh flour paste. Dry in a warm place and 

 then wipe the paper with a damp sponge to cause it to stretch evenly. Dry 

 again and then apply boiled linseed oil to both sides of the paper, and dry 

 again in a warm place. 



2. Saturate cloth or tough, thin manila paper with pure raw linseed oil, 



3. Dissolve 1% pounds white soap in 1 quart water ; in another quart dis- 

 solve 1/^ ounces gum arable and 5 ounces glue. Mix the two liquids, warm, 

 and soak the paper, hanging it up to dry. Used mostly for paper. 



4. Three pints pale linseed oil ; 1 ounce sugar of lead ; 4 ounces white 

 rosin. Grind and mix the sugar of lead in a little oil, then add the other 

 materials and heat in an iron kettle. Apply hot with a brush. Used for 

 muslin. 



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