26 ON THE CULTURE 



nurture and growth. They require light nourish- 

 ment, that will easily digest ; and no soil is so 

 well calculated for this purpose as leaf-mould, 

 mixed with a little grit; from its excellent 

 properties in absorbing the water. 



In ridging out the plants, one thing must be 

 attended to in the preparation of the bed, which 

 has not been before mentioned. Hollow the bed 

 out to the depth of about four inches in the 

 middle, so that if the weather is cold or windy, 

 the dung may be pulled down half way up the 

 hills, when it will be nearly level about the bed ; 

 but as soon as the weather becomes mild, ife 

 must be drawn away again, or otherwise the 

 heat will be too violent for the roots. As mould 

 is added to the roots, draw the dung away level 

 with the bottom of the hill ; then put it half way 

 up again, being, however, regulated in this by 

 the heat of the bed, and the temperature of the 

 weather. After the hills cover nearly three parts 

 of the bed, take the dung out which has been 

 placed round them, and level it with nearly the 



