4 THE NEW ONION CULTURE 



either case upon the manure, and then filled with pre- 

 pared "hotbed" soil, as shown in Fig 6. 



It is only for a southern location, or for very late 

 planting at the North, that an ordinary cold frame 

 may be made to answer. This is a simple box of 

 boards or planks, slanting from the rear, where it is 

 about twelve inches high, to front, where it is only six 

 to eight inches high. This box is set directly upon the 

 ground in some well-drained and well-protected sunny 

 spot, facing south or southeast. It is then filled with 



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Fig 5 HOTBED IN SUNKEN PIT 



a mixture of good turfy loam, sand, and a little fine 

 old compost to about four inches from the top. Ordi- 

 nary rich garden soil, freed from stones and rubbish 

 by sifting, and further enriched with fine old compost, 

 well mixed and sifted together, will also answer every 

 purpose. The surface is made fine and smooth with a 

 steel rake, and marked off with straight furrows from 

 front to rear. They are easily drawn across with the 

 handle of the rake, or with a little stick, or even the 

 finger, and should be about an inch deep, and about 

 one and a half inches apart, or as close as they can be 

 made conveniently. 



