26 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of land. Thus, winter spinach, sold in March, was followed 

 by onion sets, melons, and celery, on the same land, all full 

 crops ; again, winter spinach, sold in April, was followed by 

 bush-beans, melons, and spinach again. 



It would be idle to attempt such work as this without 

 skilful use of glass and heavy manuring. The plants started 

 under glass for field planting are lettuce, early cabbage, egg- 

 plants, tomatoes, celery, melons, summer squashes ; and some 

 gardeners also start their beets and onions under glass, to be 

 transplanted to the field ; which leads us to describe the 

 hot-bed. 



The hot-bed, as used by market-gardeners, is a much more 

 simple affair than is usually described in the books. We 

 build a fence, facing south-east or south, using posts nine 

 feet long, three feet in the ground, six feet above ; and set 

 them six feet apart, leaning back eighteen inches at the top, 

 so that the mats when leaning up against them are not likely 

 to be blown down. Planks two by twelve inches are set in 

 the fall, before the ground freezes, so as to make a frame 

 six feet wide, outside measure, two feet from the fence, 

 and carefully adjusted, so that when the sashes are placed 

 on them they will pitch five inches. The space between 

 the planks is then covered with litter, to keep out frost, 

 and the bed can- be used at any time in the winter. When 



it is needed for use, the 

 loam is tlirown out, and 

 fresh hot manure put in 

 to the depth of six to 

 twelve inches, according 

 to the season of the year 

 and the crop to be raised ; 

 the loam is then thrown 

 back on the manure to 

 the depth of six or eight 

 inches, and covered with 

 sash and mats, and after 

 a few days the bed will 

 generally be in order 

 for planting. 



The drawing, No. 1, represents a bed as made ready in the 

 fall to withstand frost ; c the planks, h the sash and shutters. 



