66 ON THE CULTURE 



early melon; and for the late one all leaves, from 

 trees or shrubs, will answer the purpose, parti- 

 cularly where there are brick pits. 



Let the dung be put together for a week, and 

 lay the same time before it is turned. Be care- 

 ful that the bottom is dry where the bed is 

 built ; raise it with mould or road sand to the 

 height of six or eight inches, and allow the 

 bottom to be eight or nine inches longer and 

 wider than the box, so that when the bed is 

 made, it may be drawn up in a gradual manner 

 to about three or four inches wider than the box, 

 observing at the same time to beat it well down 

 with a fork. Let it be about three feet nine 

 inches at the back by three feet six inches in the 

 front; should there, however, happen to be a 

 scarcity of dung, a foot of strawberry or aspara- 

 gus halm, fagots, or pieces of wood, or, indeed, 

 some of each, may be added at the bottom of 

 the bed. 



If the dung is dry, apply water to it, that it 

 may be properly moistened ; and after the bed 



