The Glenwood post., 1908-04-11
COLD FRAMES.

IL
much wider consideration than it
today enjoys. 1t is indispensable
to the gardener, it is suited to the
needs of the farmer and it is q
necessity to the flower lover.
The sash will always have its
place in the economy Of the gard
ener. 1t renders small services to
many people, while the forcing
house renders large services to a
few people. The sash is every
body's helper.
A cold frame is merely glass
covered garden. A cold frame
has not bottom heat, or any heat,
in fact, except that which it re-
ceives from the sun, otherwise il
is like a hotbed.
The sides are of board and the
top is made of one or more mov-
able sashes. An ordinary sash
covers 16 square feet of ground
space, being 6 8 feet in dimen-
sions. The back of the frame
should be higher than the front
a 12-inch back and 10-inch front
may be used. Large sashes can
be obtained, but the 6-foot size
is most convenient. The frame
and sash can be home made or
the sash can be bought Of the
seedman and the frames made by
carpenter
The cold frame is used in two
principal ways: First, as a means
of protecting plants from the
cold during the dormant period.
and second, it affords sufficient
protection for the growing plants
late in the fall or in the early
spring.
Many plants perish from the
effects of the frost. 1t is only the
very hardy plants that can sur
vive through severe winter even
in the best protected cold frames.
The ground will freeze solid in
the cold frame in winter, but to
less depth than in the open gar
den.
The function of the cold frame
is to ward off cold winds. to keep
the ground clear of snow, and in
spring and fall to catch and re
tain the feeble of the slantir1
sunbeams and thus foster plant
growth.
The cold frame can be used a,
hotbed by packing good fresh
manure in the bottom of the
frame to a depth of twelve o.
more inches, according to the
time it is to be used and the de
gree of cold the plants are expect
ed to stand.
Cold frames are ordinarily
placed near the buildings, and tn.
plants are transplanted into the
field when settled weather comes
Sometimes the frames are made
directly in the field where the
plants are to remain, and the
frames and not the plants are re-
moved. This way eliminates thc
arduous task of transplanting.
Span roof cold frames are very
useful, as they allow of better
and more uniform conditions for
the ryrnwinu n1antS
Locate the frames on land that
is well drained. They should
have protection from the north
winds. The frames should always
face the south, that is, they
should run east and west.
Protection must be given to the
frames in severely cold weather
for this purpose mats and boards
nre used. The mats are most
common. The cheapest mat IS
made of quilted burlap. Straw
mats are more expensive, but can
be handled easier and afford ber-
ter protection than boards.
The back and front of the
frames should be protected by
banking up soil or manure to
within an inch or an inch and a
half Of the top Of the frame.
Some dom 'ts to be looked after
in managing the cold frame work j:
l. Don't neglect to water suffi-
GENTLY.
2. Don't forget ventilation.
This is important. The middle Of
the day is good time.
3. Don't damage plant in
transplanting. Get the plant used
to its new home by degrees.
The soil Of the bed must be OF
the right character-rich, easily
worked and well drained. Rot
ten sod ia inst the thing.