86 



HOTBEDS. 



I^OTBEDS claim a considerable portion of the gardener's 

 attention. For raising seedlings and propagating small 

 plants they are invaluable. The cucumber and the melon 

 could not be grown to the extent they are without them. 

 ^ With what interest the young gardener — ay, and the 

 old gardener too — watches from day to day the rapid growth of his 

 plants, and astonishes his friends with the wonders to be accom- 

 plished by means of a properly-managed liotbed. There is something 

 about dung-heat particularly suited to the purposes to which it is 

 put ; the steady moist heat and the ammonial exhalation are not 

 easily imitated by other means. These facts are well known to 

 experienced gardeners ; but there is no reason why there are not 

 those in the world who may not be thoroughly acquainted with them, 

 and possibly a word respecting frames and hotbeds may be as useful 

 now as when Abercrombie and others penned their directions for 

 growing cucumbers and melons. 



Among the necessary operations, the first is to get the material, 

 and plenty of it ; less than a two-horse load is of little use, and the 

 more the better. Another important condition is to get it in time — 

 not less than a fortnight before it is intended to make the bed or 

 beds. If a large quantity is obtained, have it a month before making 

 it into beds ; the reason of this is that fresh stable dung heats 

 violently for a time, but soon cools if not turned over. It is of the 

 first importance that the dung should be turned over with a fork 

 once every four or five days for a fortnight at least. Where it 

 presents any appearance of dryness, let it be wetted gently, not 

 drenched with pails of water thrown on it, which would wash out 

 much of its most useful property. The result of this preparation is, 

 the material acquires a shortness and consistency adaptable to the 

 maintenance of a steady, lasting heat, which would not be obtained 

 without it. 



In forming hotbeds, it should be borne in mind that, for the 

 culture of cucumbers, melons, and for any such purposes, nothing 

 can surpass solid beds made in the true orthodox fashion ; that is, 

 measure the length and breadth of the frame, mark out the ground 

 for the bed, allowing a foot each way beyond the measurement of the 

 frame, to insure the frame resting upon it, then drive a stake firmly 

 into the ground at each corner ; these will serve as a guide. Then 

 proceed to build the bed, shaking the dung well out as it is laid, 

 beating it down with the fork ; and remember that this process 

 should not be hurried over ; if it takes longer to do a thing well than 

 it does to do it anyhow, that time will be found to be well spent in the 

 long run ; do the work carefully, if you would avoid the risk of 

 failure at first starting. Having built up the bed (which, if done 

 before April, should be about four feet high), it is not advisable to 

 put on the frame the same day, as any sudden weight causes a 

 sudden rise in the temperature ; but in case of heavy rains, which 

 would cool the bed considerably, it should be covered by some means, 



