96 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



manure. It is quite common practice to make movable 

 frames of one-inch boards large enough for three or four 

 sash, as shown in Fig. 33. These are kept from year to 

 year, being set on top of the manure and the earth put 

 into them. 



Hotbed Manure. The material generally used for 

 heating hotbeds is fresh horse manure, but sheep manure 

 and even spent hops may serve the purpose. Of animal 

 manures, that from horses fed on highly nitrogenous foods, 

 i. e., on grain foods, will heat best. The preparation of the 

 manure is very simple. It should be gathered together in 

 a pile, as fresh as may be, when if moist it will generally 

 heat, no matter how cold the weather. If it does not start 

 to heat readily, a few buckets of hot water poured into the 

 center of the pile will often start it. When it gets nicely 

 started the pile should be turned over, throwing the outside 

 manure into the center of the pile and breaking up all the 

 lumps. In a few days it will heat again and will then be 

 ready to go into the frames, but do not put it into the 

 frames until it is heating thoroughly. Clear horse manure 

 heats too violently, and should be mixed with about its 

 own bulk of leaves or fine straw. The leaves used to keep 

 frost out of the frames during winter now come in to good 

 advantage for mixing with the manure. Of course, if the 

 manure gathered has considerable straw in it this admix- 

 ture is not necessary. 



The way of putting manure in the frames calls for some 

 little care. It should be broken up very fine, mixed with 

 leaves or other material and spread as evenly as possible 

 over the whole bed, taking special pains to have the frame 

 well filled in the center, as it settles there much more than 

 at the sides. As the manure is 'put in, it should be packed 

 down quite firmly by the feet, taking great care to have it 



