November, 1907 



AM ERI 



CAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



XV 



portant factor in putting your plants in good 

 condition for winter work. 



Look to the potted bulbs. If any have be- 

 gun to make top-growth, put them in the 

 window. But leave those which have not 

 begun to grow in cold storage as long as 

 possible, if you want to prolong the period 

 of their flowering. 



CONSTRUCTION AND CARE OF 

 THE HOTBED 



By Ida D. Bennett 



TO ENDEAVOR to garden without the 

 promoting aid of a well-constructed and 

 equipped hotbed is to be seriously handi- 

 capped in one's gardening operations through- 

 out the summer, as its use advances the season, 

 from six weeks to two months being gained 

 in the maturity of the plants set out. Take, 

 for instance, that popular flower the cosmos, 

 the growing of the larger varieties of which 

 is practically futile without the hotbed, as, 

 planted in the open ground in May, after all 

 danger of frost is passed, they will not come 

 into bloom before September, when the first 

 frost catches them in their first blooming. But 

 if the seed is planted in the hotbed late in 

 March or the first of April they will fre- 

 quently be in bud when transplanted from the 

 frames to the open ground and continue to 

 bloom all summer. 



The hotbed has its phases of opulence, 

 where it appears in walls of brick, or stone, 

 or cement, with the regulation florist's sash, 

 or it may owe its humble origin to waste lum- 

 ber about the place and discarded window- 

 sash. There are certain advantages in the 

 more solidly built masonry as compared to the 

 timber construction, in that it affords a more 

 even temperature and successfully resists the 

 incursions of moles, mice and like vermin ; 

 it is, moreover, permanent — a pit lined with 

 brick or concrete, well constructed and care- 

 fully drained, should last twenty years, while 

 the light frame construction will not be good 

 for more than three. 



If built of boards the material should be as 

 heavy as possible and entirely free from knot 

 holes, or if such holes unavoidably exist, they 

 should be masked with pieces of tin nailed on. 

 A few such holes in an old hotbed of mine a 

 few years ago resulted, one night, in the al- 

 most total loss of the entire sowing of seeds, 

 a mouse having in that time unearthed and 

 eaten all the salvia, and other hard-shelled 

 seeds, and left the empty shells scattered over 

 the surface of the soil. 



The first essential in constructing a hotbed 

 is a pit, which should be about four feet deep 

 and of a size to correspond with the sash to 

 be used. The sides should be left as even and 

 firm as possible. The frame of the bed is 

 constructed — if of boards — with four corner 

 posts of three-inch stuff, the rear posts being 

 about six or eight inches higher than the front 

 ones ; onto these the sides and ends are se- 

 curely nailed, the bottom of the frame being 

 square, the slope being at the top. Usually if 

 the frame is made of six or eight-inch boards, 

 by sawing one end board in two on the bias 

 it will provide the top boards for each end, 

 and be on the right slope. Where old win- 

 dow sash are used it will be found convenient 

 in handling to hinge them to the back of the 

 frame, which they should cover snugly. 



The construction of permanent beds of 

 masonry is along practically the same lines; 

 the pit, however, should be dug about four 

 inches larger to allow for the laying of the 

 brick or cement. Where concrete is used — 

 and this is probably the most permanent form 

 of hotbed — a rough frame of boards should 



Importance of Hardware 



The selection of the hardware trimmings for your new house is too important a matter 

 to be left to the discretion of another. Make your own selection; by doing so yo^i not only 

 reflect your own taste; but by choosing with due regard to style of architecture and finish 

 you will be able to obtain a more appropriate and artistic effect. 



- ARTISTIC 



5>argent S Hardware 



may be selected to lianiiouize with auy style 

 of architecture or finish. It is always artistic 

 in design ami proportion, and because of its 

 long wear affords unboundeil satisfaction. 



Sargent's Book of Designs— Sent Free 



will be of real assistance to you in deciding 

 upon your hardware trimmings. This book 

 not only shows nearly seventy differeut de- 

 signs of artistic hardware, but, 

 also shows the Easy Spring Prin 

 ciple of Sargent's I^ocks. 



Write for a copy of Ihr hook to-da 

 — ifs yoiii !. for t lir a\king. 



SARGENT & CO., 

 156 Leonard St.. New York 



Send us plan of space 

 to be Tiled. 



We will quote lowest 

 price delivered at your 

 station. 



Ceramic, Mosaic, and 

 Encaustic Tile for 

 Floors in white or 

 colors. 



Designs submitted. 



fl^ATSi ROOMS .V£STl&ULES , PUBLIC BUH-DINGS 



CONTRACTS EXECUTED 

 IN ANY PART OF THE 

 COUNTRY 



MANTELS, GRATES, FIRE PLACE GOODS 



English Quarry Tile in Red, Black and Buff 

 for Porches, Terraces, Halls, etc. 



WISCONSIN MANTEL TILE COMPANY 



420 Milwaukee Street, MILWAUKEE, WIS. 



IN THIS CHARMING HOUSE 



All the windows are CASEMENTS 

 swinging out, convenient, practical, 

 and a joy and comfort to the owner. 

 With one hand he can unlock, swing 

 and relock his sash in any position, 

 and he does not have to open the 

 screens. Our beautiful FREE Book- 

 let tells why. 



The Casement Hardware Co. 



Record-Herald BIdg., CHICAGO 



ObWb Manure 



Shredderi c n 

 w Pulverized 



Beet for all indoor and outdoor work. No bad odor. 

 Easily applied. Delivered east of Missouri River. 

 42.00 per bag (100 Ibi, ) Wriie for circulars. 



The Pulverised Manure Co. 

 21 Union S'cck Yards, Chicago. 



Prevents Drafts, 



Dust and Window Rattling. 

 IVES' PATENT 

 Window Stop Adjuster. 



PATENTED, 



The only Stop Adjuster made from one piece of metal with solid 

 ribs and heavy bod that will not cup, turn or bend in tightening 

 (lu- screw. Manufactured only by The H. B. IVES CO., New 

 Haven, Conn., U. S. A. (Fifty-page CatnL.guc Mailed Free.) 



