346 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



of a wall, and covering it at night and on cold days with boards or matting. 

 When the plants have been transferred to the garden cover them at night witn 

 inverted boxes, screens, or even by shingles inserted on the north sides of the 

 hills and inclined over the plant like a roof. Every farmer must be governed 

 in this matter by circumstances, and guided by his own ingenuity. Only 

 market gardeners, flower dealers and amateurs need incur much expense. But 

 every one will find both pleasure and profit in some simple arrangement for 

 bringing forward eai'ly flowers snd vegetables. 



Another very simple, cheap, but effective style of hot-bed we have often made, 

 by making a pile of fresh litter from the horse stable on the top of the gi-ound, 

 about eighteen inches deep and a foot wider all around than the frame intended 

 to be put on it. 



The manure should be trodden evenly, firmly, and made level ; upon it place 

 a frame of the size of the sash to be used, which may be made of inch boards, 

 ten inches high in front and fifteen inches high at the back, with the slope to 

 the south, and a small stake in each comer driven firmly through the manure 

 10 keep it steady. 



After the manure begins to heat put in from four to six inches of soil, made 

 fine and level, and when in the course of a day or two that becomes warm 

 enough, which can be ascertained by thrusting in the finger, sow the seed in 

 rows running with the slope of the frame. 



The bed must be carefully watched, watered, and opened every day, so that 

 neither the seeds nor young plants shall suffer from too great heat. 



If the weather is very cold, or if the bottom heat seems to Ml, bank up the 

 frame all round to the top with fresh, hot manure firmly trodden. 



In making a hot-bed it is a very good plan to take the soil from some spot in 

 the garden upon which in the fall the rubbish has been burnt, as many foul 

 seeds and insects will thereby have been destroyed, and the ashes won't hurt 

 the bed. 



A hot-bed made in this way can be removed as soon as the plants from it are 

 set out, which will be soon after the garden is made. This style of hot-bed is 

 within the means of any farmer who can get a load of horse manure and has 

 an old window sash. 



CULTURE OF VEGETABLES IN THE GARDEN. 



With a supply of seasonable vegetables the farmer can, with very little 

 meat, furnish his family food that is not only economical, but palatable and 

 healthful. With asparagus, rhubarb, early and late peas and beans, potatoes, 

 turnips, cabbages, onions, beets, green corn, early and late squashes, cucum- 

 bers, tomatoes, strawberries, currants, raspberries, grapes, and the larger fruits, 

 a diet may be provided fit for a royal table ; and if to these are added the egg 

 plant, celery, salsify, and various pickles and preserved fruits, what more can 

 be desired f There are numerous varieties of most of these articles, which 

 come into use at different times during the season, and can thus be had in their 

 best condition. When gathered fresh from the garden they have a delicacy of 

 flavor that is wanting in those obtained wilted from the market, and they sup- 

 ply those juices and acids that the health of the human system demands, 

 especially during the warm season. 



Now, in our climate, this almost unlimited variety of delicious and wholesome 

 vegetables may be had upon every farmer's table from June to November, at 

 very little cost of money, and at a very reasonable outlay of labor and sys- 

 tematic care ; and potatoes, parsnips, squashes, cabbages, beets, turnips, toma- 

 toes, apples, dried fruits, peas and beans may be had in abundance from 

 November to June. With this bountiful supply of nutritious vegetables, with 

 milk, butter and eggs, who can live better than the American farmer? If he 

 does not have a well-furnished table it is his own fault. He cannot blame our 



