THE COLDFRAME AND THE HOTBED 151 
latter — be mixed among it, so much the better. 
Get this manure several days ahead of the time 
wanted for use and prepare by stacking in a com- 
pact, tramped down heap. Turn it over after three 
or four days, and re-stack, being careful to put the 
manure from the top and sides of the pile now on 
the inside. 
Having now ready the heating apparatus and the 
superstructure of our miniature greenhouse, the 
building of it is a very simple matter. If the 
ground is frozen, spread the manure in a low, flat 
heap nine or ten feet on each side, a foot and a half 
deep, and as long as the number of sash to be used 
demands. A cord of manure thus furnishes a bed 
for about three sash, not counting for the ends of 
the string or row. This heap should be well trod- 
den down and upon it should be placed the box or 
frame upon which the sash are to rest. In using 
this method it will be more convenient to have the 
frame made up beforehand and ready to place upon 
the manure, as shown in one of the illustrations. 
This should be at least twelve inches high at the 
front and some half a foot higher at the back. Full 
in with at least four inches — better six — of good 
garden soil containing plenty of humus so that it 
may allow water to soak through readily. 
The other method is to construct the frames on 
the ground before severe freezing, and in this case 
the front should be at least twenty-four inches high, 
