bove
suggestions is that any surplus of these fresh out-of-season things may
be disposed of among your vegetable-hungry friends at the same
step-ladder prices they are paying the butcher or green-grocer for
wilted, shipped-about products.

And don't get discouraged if some of your experiments do not succeed the
first time. Keep on planning, studying and _practicing_ until you are
getting the maximum returns and pleasure from your glass house.

[Illustration: Tomato plants, started in pots, ready for transplanting
into the bench]

[Illustration: The tomato plants in full bearing. The vines are severely
pruned and tied up to sticks or twine]

[Illustration: Lettuce and cucumbers in the greenhouse. The cucumber
vines are induced to climb the heavy strings so as to economize bench
space]

CHAPTER XXVI

VEGETABLE AND BEDDING PLANTS FOR SPRING

While it is true that there are many ways in which one may save money
with a small greenhouse all through the year, the best chance for making
money is by growing vegetable and bedding plants in the spring. Bedding
stock is what the florists term geraniums, coleus, begonias and other
plants used for setting out flower beds in the spring.

In every community a large number of such plants are used and the case
will be rare indeed in which one will meet with any difficulty in
disposing of quite a number of such plants among immediate neighbors and
friends.

The number of plants which can be grown in the spring with even a very
small house and a few sash is quite surprising. The secret of the
mystery lies, of course, in the fact that in their early stages,
seedlings and cuttings, the plants occupy very little room; while as
soon or soon after they are transplanted or shifted to large pots they
are shoved outdoors into coldframes. As the tender vegetables, such as
tomatoes, peppers, egg-plant, etc., are not started until after the
hardier ones, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, etc., the frames can be
filled up again usually as fast as emptied. In the same way heliotrope,
salvia, coleus and other tender plants follow pansies, daisies,
carnations, etc.

It will thus be seen that to grow these plants to the best advantage, a
coldframe, or better still, both a coldframe and hotbed, will be used in
conjunction with the small home greenhouse.

Directions have already been given (see Chapter IV) in these pages for
sowing, starting and transplanting seed.

VEGETABLES

The