HOT 



305 



HOT 



inclosure should be formed as near to the bed in all cases must be guided by 



the stable as possible. For the recep- j the size of the frame. 



tinn of the bed, a trench is often dug ] To prevent the sudden changes of 



of its determined length and breadth, j temperature in the external air atfect- 



and six inches deep, if the soil is wet, ing the heat of the bed, coat the sides 



or eighteen or more if it is dry. In a of the bed with sand ; coal-ashes or 



dry soil and climate this cannot be pro- '■ earth might be substituted, to a thick- 



ductive of much injury, but otherwise ness of two feet. 



it almost always chills the bed: at the As the heat declines, linings, or as 



same time it is to be observed, that it they might be more properly called, 



is never productive of benefit, further 

 than not being so high; it is easier of 

 access, but gives much additional trou- 

 ble, brfth at the time of founding and 

 afterwards, when linings are to be ap- 

 plied 



coatings, are made use of, which con- 

 sist of hot fermenting dung laid from 

 eighteen to twenty-four inches, in pro- 

 portion to the coldness of the season, 

 &c., all round the bed to the whole of 

 its height, and iffounded in a trench. 



The site of the bed being determined, one equally deep must be dug for the 

 a stake should be driven perpendicu- coating, it being of importance to re- 

 larly at the four corners as a guide for ' new the heat as much as possible 

 its rectangular construction. The dung throughout its whole mass ; if, after a 

 must be thoroughly mixed just before it while, the temperature again declines, 

 is used, and as carefully separated and the old coating must be t;dven away, 

 spread regularly with the fork, as the and a similar one of hot dung applied 

 bed is formed with it. It is beneficially in its place. As the spring advances, 

 settled down in every part alike by the warmth of the sun will compensate 

 beating with the fork as the work pro- for the decline of that of the bed ; but 

 ceeds, rather than by treading; for if , as the nights are generally yet cold, 

 too much compressed, a high degree of; either a moderate coating, about nine 



heat is generated but is soon spent: 

 contrary phenomenon is often caused 

 if trod to a still greater excess, namely, 

 that no heat at all is engendered. 



The longest or littery part of the 



or ten inches thick, is required, or the 

 mowings of grass, or even litter, may 

 be laid round the sides with advantage. 

 The depth of earth, as well as the 

 time and manner of applying, vary con- 



dung should be laid at the bottom of siderably ; it should never be put on 

 the bed, and the finer fragments of the until four or five days after the bed is 

 dung upon the top. If it is not regu- formed: before it is applied, the edges 

 larly and moderately moist throughout, of the bed should be raised full eight 

 it should be sprinkled over with water. , inches higher than the middle, as from 

 As the surface on which the bed is , the additional weight of the frame they 

 founded is usually horizontal, so is the are sure to sink more and quicker, 

 dung laid perfectly parallel with it. Mr. thereby often causing the earth to crack 

 Knight recommends it, on the contrary, and injure the roots of the plants. 

 to be equally inclined with its founda- The roots of plants being liable to 

 tion, that it may associate well with the injury from an excessive heat in the 

 new form, which he recommends for bed, several plans have been devised 

 frames. See Frame. ' to prevent this etfect. If the plants in 



The breadth of a bed must always be pots are plunged in the earth of the 



five feet, and in the depth of winter 

 four and a half feet high when firmly 

 settled ; to form it of this size, about 

 twelve barrow loads of dung are re- 

 quired to a light. 



In early spring, a height of three and 

 a half feet is sulficient, and as the sea- 

 son advances, it may decline to three 

 two and a half feet. In May or 



bed, they may be raised an inch or two 

 from the bottom of the holes they are 

 inserted in by means of a stone. But a 

 still more etfectual mode is to place 

 them within other pots, rather larger 

 than themselves ; a space filled with 

 air being thus interposed between the 

 roots and the source of heat, an elfect- 

 ual security is obtained. To prevent 



early summer, when the only object is the same injury occurring when the 

 to hasten the germination of seeds, two plants are in the earth of the bed, a 

 feet or eighteen inches is not less than moderate layer of neats'-dung laid be- 

 the necessary height. The length of tween the earth and the fermenting 

 20 



