HENDERSON'S GARDEN GUIDE AND RECORD. 



Coldframes and Their Uses, 



HOW TO MAKE AND MANAGE. 



THE COLDFRAME is indispensible in every well-ordered garden in freezing latitudes. 

 With it one is able to winter over many important seedlings, vegetables and flowers, ren- 

 dering them so hardy and sturdy, that they can be safely transplanted in the open ground 

 in the spring weeks before it y\'ould be safe to put out the softer plants from spring-sown 

 seeds, thereby ensuring extra early vegetables and flowers. Besides, with a coldframe, 

 several kinds of the hardier vegetables may be grown for use during the winter. 



HOW TO MAKE AND MANAGE A COLDFRAJME: Coldframes are made on the 

 surface of the ground, no excavation being requii-ed. Select a sunny situation, sheltered, 

 if possible, from the north and west wintry winds. The south side of a wall, stable or house 

 is an ideal location. Stakes about 3 feet long and 2x3 inches thick, pointed at the bottom 

 end, are driven in the soU at the end and middle of each board, the boards being nailed to 

 the inside of the stakes so as to form a frame — close to the ground — that will be about 18 

 inches high at the back and 12 inches high in front. This gives the proper slope to the 

 sash to catch the sun. 



The distance between the parallel front and back boards should be 3 inches less than 

 the length of the sash to allow for the slope, and also to permit the sash to hang over the 

 frame slightly, so they can be easily lifted for airing. The length of the frame will depend 

 on how many plants are to be wintered over. 



Make the soil in the frame as rich and mellow as a well-prepared garden bed, do not 

 put the sashes on until there is danger of freezing, and then only keep them on during the 

 night. The sash should be taken off during the day, when the weather is above the freez- 

 ing point of 32 degrees, and even with several degrees of frost, particularly if the sun is 

 shining; the sash must be raised two or three inches at one end for air during the day, 

 otherwise the temperature will become too high in the frame, causing the plants to become 

 tender. 



When the weather is extremely cold — 10 degrees above zero or colder — the sashes 

 must be covered at night with straw mats, blankets or board shutters. Tnese extra cover- 

 ings should be taken off during the day, unless the grovmd in the frame was frozen before 

 they were put on; in the latter case, if they remain on for two or three days during severe 

 cold spells, no harm will be done. Snow should be removed also, unless the ground in the 

 frames was frozen before it fell. 



COLDFRAME VEGETABLES FOR WINTER USE: Early Cabbage, Cauliflower, 

 Lettuce and Parsley are the vegetables usually grown in coldframes for winter use. These 

 must be sown early enough to permit the plants to develop nearly their maximum size 

 before freezing weather sets in, after which but little growth will be made. The plants will 

 then stand still, practically being preserved in their naturalness and crisp freshness for 

 weeks so they may be used as required. The smaller, early, compact-growing varieties are 

 used for the above purpose, such as Miniature Marrow and Wakefield Cabbage, Snowball 

 Cauliflower, Tenderheart, Mignonette and Golden Queen Lettuce and Emerald Parsley. 

 Sowings of these should be made in the latitude of New York City about as follows: Cab- 

 bage and Cauliflower, early in August. Lettuce, early in September. Parsley in the 

 spring. The seedlings to be grown on in the usual way and be transplanted to the cold- 

 frame as soon as large enough. The Cabbage, Cauliflower, 18 inches apart, Lettuce, 8 inches 

 apart, Parsley, 6 inches apart. 



COLDFRAME WINTERED SEEDLINGS. The seedling plants usually wintered 

 over in coldframes are Cabbage, CauUflower and Lettuce, which are sown for this purpose in 

 the latitude of New York City between the 10th and 20th of September. About a month 

 later they will be large enough to be transplanted 2 inches apart in the coldframe. The 

 seedling flowering plants usually wintered over in coldframes are Auriculas, Bellis, Cow- 

 slips, Myosotis, Pansies and Hollyhocks. 



Coldframes are not only useful for wintering over such plants as mentioned above, 

 but they are of value in raising early Radishes, Parsley, Carrots, Beets and other hardy 

 vegetables and flowers for setting out in the open ground in April or May, the seed of which 

 may be sown in coldframes in the latitude of New York about the 1st of March, thinning 

 the seedlings out so the remaining plants can fully develop, which they will do weeks before 

 they can be obtained from open ground sowings. 



