Planting 55 



indispensable, and it must be applied in liberal quantities 

 daily. 



Cheese-cloth may be put over a frame to screen seedlings 

 from the sun, and mosquito-bar will keep insects away from 

 young cabbages, and the like. 



HOTBEDS 



This convenient form of plant-bed is perhaps not as 

 generally used in the almost frostless regions as it merits ; 

 probably from the fact that many persons do not under- 

 stand the principles underlying its successful operation. 

 It is used to grow early plants of eggplant, tomato, and 

 other vegetables which will not endure any frost. 



When undecomposed manure, leaves, or other vegetable 

 matter begin to decay, a certain amount of heat is given 

 off ; if the pile is large and in a compact heap, the amount 

 of heat evolved will be considerable. This is due to the 

 breaking down of the vegetable matter through the actions 

 of low forms of life, such as bacteria and molds. This 

 breaking down takes place in the presence of moisture; 

 vegetable matter stored in a dry state will remain unde- 

 composed for an indefinite time. It is possible for every 

 one who keeps a horse or cow to provide himself with a 

 hotbed. 



During the early part of the season the manure may be 

 stored away dry, and kept so ; and when the time to fix a 

 hotbed arrives, it may be prepared in a similar way to a 

 compost heap. 



The same four points should be borne in mind when one 

 is selecting the place for a hotbed as when locating a cold- 

 frame. See page 52. 



