SUCCESS IN MARKET GARDENING 



that quantity would be sufficient. But for such 

 tropical-natured plants as tomatoes, cucumbers, 

 or egg-plants, a foot of heating material would be 

 none too much at any season. 



A crop of radishes would not perhaps require 

 quite as much heat as lettuce during the winter 

 months; still it would need about the quantity 

 stated to keep the bed properly warm. If started 

 in March, no strong bottom heat would be required, 

 and they will succeed well on second heat, such as 

 is in a bed from which a crop of lettuce or other 

 vegetables has just been removed. In this case 

 the crop will often do better than when sown in 

 a freshly made bed, as in the latter the ammonia, 

 which new heating material always throws out, 

 would have a tendency to drive the crop too much to 

 tops; which is not what is wanted with root crops. 



The continuous care of hot-beds after the crop 

 has been started forms one of the most important 

 branches of work in the market garden. The 

 beds require to be covered and uncovered every 

 day, and constant attendance and vigilance are 

 necessary to maintain the proper temperature. 

 The amount of heat to be aimed at, as we have 

 already said, depends upon the crop. 



[86] 



