The Delta independent., 1908-04-10
COLD FRAMES

FARMER anu IL Is necessity to the
flower grower.
The sash will always have its place
in the economy of the gardener. 1t
renders small services to many peo-
pie. The sash is everybody's helper.
A cold frame is merely glass
covered garden. A cold frame has
no bottom heat, or any heat in fact,
except that which it receives from
the sun, otherwise it is like a hot
bed.
The sides are of board and the top
is made of one or more movable sash
es. An ordinary sash covers 18 So
it., on ground space, being about 6x3
! feet in its dimensions. The back of
| the frame should be higher than the
front; a 12-inch back and 1O-inch
front may be used. Large sashes can
be obtained, but the six foot size is
most convenient. The frame and sash
can be home made or the sash can be
bought of the scotsman and the
frames made by a carpenter
The cold frame is used in two prin-
cipal ways, first, as a means to pro-
tect plants from cold during the DOR
mant 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 ef-
fects of frost. 1t is only the very
hardy plants that can survive through
a severe winter even in the very best
protected cold frames. The ground
will freeze solid in the cold frame in
| winter, but to less depth than in
the open garden.
The function of the cold frame to
ward off cold winds, to keep the
ground clear of snow, and in spring
| and fall to catch and retain the
| feeble heat of the slanting sunbeams
| and thus foster plant growth.
The cold frame can be used as a
| hotbed by packing good fresh manure
in the bottom of the frame to a depth
of twelve or more inches, according
to the time it is to be used and the
degree of cold the plants are ex-
pected to stand.
| Cold frames are ordinarily placed
near the buildings, and the plants are
transplanted into the field when set
tied 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 the
arduous task of transplanting.
| Span roof cold frames are very sat
isfactory, as they allow of better and
more uniform condition for the grow
ing Of plants.
| Locate the frames on land that
is well drained. They should have
protection from 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 are
used. The mats are most common.
The cheapest mat Is made of quilted
burlap. Straw mats are more expen-
sive, but can be handled easier and
afford better protection than boards.
The back and front of the frames
should be protected by banking up
inch or an inch and a half to the top
of the frame.
Some dont's to be looked after in
managing the cold frame work:
| 1. Don't neglect to water suf
ficiently.
2. Don't forget ventilation. This
is important. The middle of the
day is good time.
8. Don't damage plant in trans
planting. 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. Rotted sod is Just
the thing.
The cold frame is used for
1. Growing plants early in the
spring as lettuce and radishes, and
starting plants for transplanting as
celery, tomatoes, etc.
2. Growing some of the vegetables
and flowers late in the fall as lettuce,
radishes, violets, etc.
3. Receiving plants which have
been started earlier In hotbeds and
forcing houses to harden them for
outdoor planting.
4. Wintering hardy plants such
as cabbage and lettuce and all plants
which are sown in the fall.