66 THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. [Jan. 



the top it will be convenient to have a handle, for the purpose of 

 removing it, as circumstances may require. Glass cases of this 

 sort ought to be in every garden, and will be extremely useful 

 for protecting all sorts of crops, and can be procured at a very 

 trifling expense. Some use a frame similar to the above, made 

 by nailing together two boards lengthways at right angles. 

 This is very useful for protecting early crops, but is not so 

 good as the other, as it excludes the light; nevertheless, it 

 may be used with propriety for covering the crops at night. 

 Early crops of peas will be forwarded by rearing a bank of 

 mould on the north side of each row, of twelve or fifteen inches 

 in height, the rays of heat will reflect on the crop, if the bank 

 be not placed at too great a distance from the row. We have 

 found when the crops of peas have been sown longitudinally 

 along the border, that hurdles, or Dutch mats, placed upright 

 along the north side have greatly sheltered them, and often, 

 when the crops are sown across the border, much benefit has 

 been derived from hurdles placed on each side of the row, 

 about twelve inches apart at bottom, and fixed together at the 

 top. This has protected them from the frosts, at the same time 

 that it has not shaded them too much. Cottagers, whose little 

 gardens are often placed in favorable circumstances, might, by 

 strict attention to the cultivation of early beans, peas, and 

 potatoes, derive a considerable profit by having them as early 

 as possible, and in almost every situation find a ready market 

 for them. 



PLANTING BEANS. 



About the beginning of this month, if the weather be open, 

 let some ground be made ready for a general crop of broad 

 beans. The particular state of the weather, and the sort of 

 soil, are always to be considered, for nothing is gained, but, 

 on the contrary, much is lost by sowing or planting, when the 

 ground is not in a proper state for the reception either of the 

 seeds or roots, and it is needless almost to observe, that the 

 ground cannot be too dry at this season. 



For the larger sorts, let the rows be three feet apart from 

 each other, and plant the beans two or three inches deep, or 



