236 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



injuring it for the years to come. Remember to keep it cut clean 

 as long as you continue to cut. The third year you may cut a 

 supply, although if manured each spring as above directed, and 

 cultivated sufficiently to keep the weeds from growing, it will 

 continue to improve until it is five years old ; and then it will, if 

 properly cared for, hold its own for from twenty-five to fifty years. 

 A bed twelve feet wide, and twenty-five to thirty feet long, will 

 give a large family a full supply for the season." 



Let another tell how to make a small hot-bed for a farmer's 

 garden; bring out the points in about the following manner: 

 Prepare a couple of sash about three by six feet. Select some 

 sunny spot on the south side of the barn or some board fence and 

 dig about twelve inches deep and about the size of your sash. 

 Board it about three feet high on the north side and about two 

 feet on the south, makiog the slope gradual and regular, in order 

 that the sash may fit closely upon the top of it. Put in about 

 two feet of fresh stable manure and pack it closely. If it is not 

 thoroughly wet, pour on hot water until it is. Now for your 

 earth. It must be rich and fine. If it is not already prepared, 

 no matter; go and break up and throw the frozen lumps upon the 

 manure. Put on sufficient to make it not less than four or more 

 than six inches deep after it is fine and dry. Put on the sash, 

 bank up closely around it with snow, if you have nothing else, 

 though coarse manure is better. Cold nights it will need a 

 covering over the sash. For this purpose take a piece of sheeting 

 and put on six or eight pounds of cotton ; lay another piece of 

 sheeting on this, and quilt it like a coarse comfortable. Make it 

 large enough to cover the entire frame. Put it on nights and you 

 have a hot-bed that will be safe, even if the thermometer outside 

 goes below zero. Take it off every day in which the sun shines 

 and you will be surprised to find how soon the lumps of frozen 

 earth are not only thawed, but the bod becomes in good condition 

 to plant. As regards the time of planting hot-beds, it is a good rule 

 to allow six weeks from the time of planting it, to the time that 

 you will probably want to set the plants in the garden. Ooe bed 

 of this size will hold a sufficient quantity of cabbage, cauliflower, 

 tomato, lettuce, pepper, egg plants, etc., to give a large family a 



