Rockingham post-dispatch., 1922-02-23
FROM COLDFRAME
TO YOUR GARDEN
Plants Should Be Accustomed to
the Outside Conditions
Before Setting.
PROTECTION may Be NEEDED
Boxes or Small Boards Will Save From
Sun, Wind and Frost-Water Be-
fore Transplanting-Carry Con-
tainers 10 Place for Planting.

1t is assumed that the wide-awake
gardener has been busy long before
the weather is warm enough to sow
any seeds in the open ground; that
window box or hotbed has been pro-
vided, and that supply Of plants of
tomatoes, peppers, early cabbage, and
eggplant are under way to set in the
garden as soon as danger of frost is
past.
Ifjpleuty of south window space is
available, TIE United States Depart
ment of Agriculture advises that such
crops as snap beans, cucumbers, musk
melons, and even sweet corn may be
started in flower pots, paper bands or
berry boxes filed with good SOIL and
they will be OF considerable size by
the time the air is warm enough to
plant them outdoors. Plants that
grow in the house or in the hotbed
must be hardened or adapted to outdoor
conditions before they are set in the
open ground This is accomplished
by gradually exposing them to the
open air during the warmer part of
the day and later at night, care being
taken that they are not caught by
sudden cold snap.
Hardening Early Plants.
When the plants are grown in boxes
or trays the boxes may be carried into
the open each day and the plants al
lowed to become gradually accustomed
to the outdoor conditions. If they are
in a hotbed or coldframe. the sash or
other cover is lifted eE during the day
and replaced at night Later the COW
ering Is left off entirely; however, it
should be kept close at hand to be put
on at any time thas ttic weather should
turn cold.
Plants set in the open ground may
be protected from frost by turning
small boxes over them and covering
the boxes with little earth, Old
berry boxes are sometimes used for
this purpose, hut should <be covered
completely with sell, as the plants will
freeze just as readily underneath the
exposed boxes rs II left in the open
without any cover whatever. A good
method Of protecting plants is by set
ting common roofing shingle or a
small piece of board at an angle over
each plant. These shingles can be set
on the side to protect the plants from
tie sun during the daytime, or they
E,ay be placed on the opposite side in
order to protect the plants from the
wind and allow the sunshine to reach
them.
In some cases gardeners have pro
vided small flames on the top of
which are fitted single panes of glass,
and one of these frames is set over
each plant or hill to protect it. The
glass should be so arranged that ii
can be partially removed during the
warmer part of the day in order to
prevent the temperature becoming too
high inside the frame. These protec-
tors give good results when used over
hills of eucumbers, muskmeIons and
summer squashes, as well as over
plants Of sweet pepper, eggplant and
tomatoes.
Points to Remember.
There area few points in connection
with the traifsplanting Of homegrown
plants to the garden that are worthy
Of special attention. In the first place,
the plants to be transplanted should
be watered a few hours before they
are to be handled; this will cause the