MANUAL, 131 



if the weather is mild. Jf the fermentation is too 

 powerful, and the heat too active, give it air by rais- 

 ing the lights in your frame, until you have obtained 

 a rigtit tempenwture ; (which you may determine by 

 placing your hand upon the bed, or even thrusting 

 your hand into it.) You may then plant your early 

 cucumbers, radishes, sallads, &c. ; these plants will 

 soon come forward, and may be transplanted on to 

 other hot -beds, not so powerful, or promiscuously, 

 into the garden, and covered with other small frames, 

 6T 1, 2, or 4 panes of glass according to circum- 

 stances, and the remainder may stand for use. 

 These plants may be brought to perfection, general- 

 ly, about one month earlier than in open ground. 



Asparagus may be forced in. hot-beds to advan- 

 tage, in the following manner. Draw, or dig from 

 your asparagus- bed, as many roots as will fill your 

 hot-beds, and set them in rows that will admit the 

 hoe between, and from one to three inches asunder 

 in the rows, (roots of four years old, and that have 

 never been cut, answer best ;) cover with your frame, 

 and when you pick for use, cut within the ground. 



Peas. 



Prepare your pea-ground as soon as the frost is out, 

 by digging and raking, until it is completely pulver- 

 ized ; if your soil is weak, manure with live or 

 leached ashes, or chip-dung, and rake it in ; then, 

 plant your early hotspurs in double rows, 4 or 5, or 

 even 6 inches asunder, and set your peas by hand, 

 about half an inch distance in the rows ; cover light- 

 ly, and press down the surface of the earth upon the 

 rows with the hoe. Hoe them gently as soon as they 

 come up, and when you set your brush for support- 

 ers, set one row in the centre between the double 

 rows. Be sure to select for this crop the driest and 

 warmest soil in your garden, particularly, such as is 

 secured from the north winds, by a tight fence, or 

 a wall. 



