53 FLORA HISTORICA 



into a compost, by adding '^ one-half rotten horse- 

 dung, one year old, or that has been used as a 

 hotbed for cucumbers, melons, &c., one-third fresh 

 sound loamy earth, one-sixth coarse sea or river 

 sand. These ingredients are to be mixed together 

 in autumn, laid in a heap about two feet thick, in 

 an open exposure, and turned three or four times 

 during winter; or, otherwise, the dung alone, after 

 being used as a hotbed, may be thrown together 

 in a heap, in a conical form, in order to rot more 

 perfectly ; and, as its surface freezes in winter, it 

 should be pared off, and laid on one side, till the 

 whole mass has been thoroughly frozen through- 

 out : this may be repeated as often as the season 

 permits, and it will be completely fit for use the 

 following spring. The earth and sand may be 

 added to it in IVIarch, when wanted to fresh pot 

 the plants for bloom ; the whole should then be 

 well mixed and incorporated together, and passed 

 through a coarse screen or sieve, to reduce its parts 

 and take out stones, or any other extraneous sub- 

 stances which it may contain. In country places 

 where the air is more pure, experience has pointed 

 out the propriety of using less dung and more 

 loam ; the proportions of which, for such situa- 

 tions, may be reserved, viz., one-half loamy earth 

 and one-third dung, with the sand as before spe- 

 cified : the preparation of the compost, in other 



