_Open-Air._--In the care of cloth-covered frames the covers are
left off during bright weather and the plants subjected to open-air
conditions. When there is danger of cold the covers are put on at
night, and during unfavorable weather they are frequently left on
during the day. While the cloth covers conserve the heat, they at the
same time exclude the sunlight, and if they are kept on too great a
portion of the time the crops will become drawn and spindling. With
sash-covered frames the matter of ventilation is of prime importance.
The glass admits and holds the heat of the sun's rays, and during
bright weather it is necessary to open the frames quite early in the
morning. Ventilation is accomplished by propping up one end or one side
of the sash on a notched stick. The rule to be followed is to ventilate
on the side away from the wind, so that the wind will blow over the
opening and not into the bed.
_Protection of Frames._--The area occupied by the frames is often
surrounded by a high board fence or a hedge of evergreens to break the
force of the wind. If a large area is devoted to frames it is sometimes
subdivided by numerous cross fences to break up air currents and lessen
the force of storms. Where no heat is applied to the frames the control
over temperature will not be great except in the prevention of too high
temperature by means of ventilation during bright weather. In many
instances straw and burlap mats are kept ready at hand for throwing
over sash-covered frames to prevent loss from freezing, but this would
not be practicable on a large scale. Sometimes the glass is covered by
shoveling one-half or three-fourths of an inch of soil over it, but
this involves considerable labor and frequently results in the breakage
of a great deal of glass. It is possible to ward off frost by the use
of a number of orchard heaters in the frame yard. These heaters burn
kerosene or crude oil and give off both heat and a smudge which will
prevent injury from a reasonable degree of cold.
_Crops Grown in Frames._--The crops most commonly grown in frames
are lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, garden beets, parsley, eggplant,
peppers, and snap beans. The crops grown in the sash-covered frames
do not differ materially from those grown under cloth. In the spring,
however, many growers devote their beds almost entirely to cucumbers
and eggplant instead of to lettuce and radishes. To the southward the
cloth covers are sufficient to protect the more hardy crops throughout
the winter. To the northward the hardy crops may be grown under sash in
midwinter, and those requiring more heat are grown in the spring.
_Marketing Crops Grown in Frames._--Crops grown in frames are usually
superior in quality and appearance to those grown in the open and
should be given more care in handling and marketing. The cost of
production is somewhat higher than for outdoor crops, and it is
essential that they be put up in neat packages in order to bring the
highest market price. The more successful growers give the work
of gathering, grading, and packing the crop their closest personal
attention and use only clean, attractive packages for handling and
shipping.
The packages employed for handling the frame products are generally the
same as those used for marketing outdoor vegetables, of the same kinds.
In a few instances a distinctive package has been employed. The use
of special shipping packages that would give the frame-grown produce
special recognition on the markets would be a decided advantage to the
grower.--(F. B. 460.)