The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-17

seed catalogue. contains a cut Of a cold
frame or hot-bed, and glance at such will
furnish all necessary instruction as to how
to make them, though the dsta1ls Of their
management may not be given. The usual
dimension of a cold frame is 3x6 feet. This
is the regulation size for the glass
sash that are manufactured for hot
beds. When we speak of a cold frame
we mean one that embraces IS square feet
of. Soil OF course , sash each Sx3 feet can be
used If preferred, instead Of one 3x6 feet;
in purchasing sash the latter size is to be
preferred. One frame and sash of this size
will suffice almost il not fully for q small
home garden in providing the necessary
number Of plants of the various kinds for
early use. The market gardener or trucker
will have them by the dozen, perhaps by
the hundred. The number will be regulated
by the size OF the garden and the profit TO
be derived from the sale of plants that may
be grown IN them. With many gardeners
this is very profitable part of his business
oftentimes.
In the south especially there is economy
In using certain proportion of frames that
are merely covered with cloth sash. For
| every glass covered frame In the large or
market gardens there should be, or can be
II needed, two or three or even more OF
cloth covered frames. Let these be made Of
the same size as the former. These can be
| made oy any gardener during the rainy
| days OF winter. Use pinch plank inch
thick TO make the frames, making the
joints bevel. For the cover use some strong
cloth a yard wide. Tack this securely 20
the frame, stretching it tight, applying one
coat Tor two IL necessary of varnish to the
cloth to make it waterproof and to better
keep out the cold air. This preserves the
cloth, too. Cloth especially for this purpose
| is, however, made by several firms. 1t is
cheap enough, and all that is to be
done Is to tack it on securely.
The glass covered frames are used for ger
minating the seeds and bringing the plants
to certain size, then they are taken up and
reset In the cloth covered frames to get
stokcy and be kept in readiness to set out
| Just SO soon as the severe weather or frost
period Is over. The day the plants get large
| enough to bear transplantiDg and when the
weather is not too severe. take up and set in
| the cloth frames at a distance apart of
2x2 or 2x3 inches. Here they will grow and
get strong and stocky. The vanished cloth
will be found to give ample protection from
| any ordinary winter weather, and will grow
| Off finely. When the weather is mild the
| sash, both glass and cloth, should be taken
! of, so as to make the plants as hardy as
possible.
After the frames have been used for start
ing the harder crops, such as celery cab
| oage, caulihower, onion, beets and the like,
they can be used again and again in grow
ing the tender plants, tomato, pepper, egg
plant and sweet potatoes
These cold frames, after being used up to
the last Of April for growing the tender
plants, are mulched deeply with pine straw
to keep weeds from growing up IN them,
| and to conserve the nitric acid which will
accumulate as result of the shade. The
late crops OF cabbage, celery ana tomato are
started in these frames in June or July.
Where the reedy-made cloth for the sash
is not used, the varnish, for rendering COM
mon muslin, or other white cloth, water
| proof, is made as follows:
One Cp quart linseed oil,
One ~ ounce pulverized sugar Of lead,
Four a. ounces pulverlzed rosin.
Dissolve and mix thoroughly the above in
an iron vessel (over the fire.. One coat of
this applied hot TO the cloth after it has
been tackled on the frame will render it
| tight and nearly transparent, and is better
| than glass for most purposes in southern
| gardens. Apply the varnish to the upper
surface Of the cloth. These frame covers,
when not in use. should bs kept under
shelter and they will last several years.
s. A c.