334 Kbport of the Horticulturist of the 



much, or fire fang, after being packed firmly in the bed. It will 

 be noticed that when the prepared manure has reached the proper 

 stage just referred to, and is ready for the bed, that it has lost most 

 of its former rank odor, and although it is moist, it is not wet, and 

 when wrung or twisted, leaves no stain on the hands. If the 

 weather is quite cold it will not be necessary to turn the manure as 

 often as once a day, but it may be left two or three days or perhaps 

 longer. If the object of turning the manure be borne in mind 

 there should be no difficulty in preparing it properly. The manure 

 is turned to facilitate the escape of steam or excessive moisture and 

 to check too rapid heating. 



Preparation of the Bed. 



The beds, located under the center benches of the greenhouses 

 as before stated, were inclosed with rough boards eight inches wide 

 and one inch thick. The boards w^ere set on edge and raised slightly 

 above the floor so that with a bed ten inches thick the top of the 

 bed would not extend much above the upper edge of the boards. 



Fresh manure was secured daily from the Station horse stables 

 and mixed with soil as explained on a previous page. As fast as a 

 sufficient amount of properly prepared manure accumulated it was 

 at once taken to the greenhouse and a section of the bed about ten 

 feet long was filled with it. The beds were seven feet wide. A 

 layer of the prepared manure was spread evenly over the bottom of 

 the bed to the depth of about three inches and this was then firmed 

 by pounding with a brick. Simply pressing the manure does not 

 make the bed as firm as desirable, neither does the bed need hard 

 pounding, but it should be pounded enough to make it firm and still 

 leave it somewhat elastic. In places where beds are located so that 

 it can be done, the firming is done by treading with the feet, but 

 for beds under greenhouse benches the method just described is a 

 good one. 



After the first layer was firmed it was covered with a second 

 layer of about the same thickness, which was also made firm by 

 pounding. A third layer was then added in the same manner, 

 making the bed about eight inches thick. A thermometer was then 

 buried in the bed and nothing more was done till tlie temperature 

 ceased to rise above ninety degrees Fahr. 



