Starting the Plants 79 



The exposure for the hotbeds should be where the 

 sun will strike most directly and where they will be 

 sheltered from the north. Put up a fence of rough 

 boards, five or six feet high, or place the frames 

 south of some building. 



The coldframe is constructed practically as in the 

 hotbed, except that if manure is used at all it is for 

 the purpose of enriching the soil where lettuce, rad- 

 ishes, cucumbers or other crops are to be grown to 

 maturity in it. 



If one can put up even a very small frame green- 

 house, such as illustrated facing page 3, it will be 

 a splendid investment both for profit and for pleas- 

 ure. The cost is lower than is generally imagined, 

 where one is content with a home-made structure. 

 Look into it. 



PREPARING THE SOIL 



All this may seem like a lot of trouble to go to for 

 such a small thing as a packet of seed. In reality it 

 is not nearly so much trouble as it sounds, and then, 

 too, this is for the first season only, a well built 

 frame lasting for years — forever, if you want tOt 

 take a little more time and make it of concrete in- 

 stead of boards. 



But now that the frame is made, how to use it is 

 the next question. 



The first consideration must be the soil. It should 

 be rich, light, friable. There are some garden loams 



