MARCH. 71 



pose it according to the required size and shape of 

 your bed, laying the longest litter at bottom, and 

 finishing with the shortest, taking care to beat it 

 down firmly and well with the back of the fork as 

 you proceed in the work, and trimming the sides 

 neatly. It is a good precaution to place on the top 

 of the whole a layer of moss, turf-mould, or any 

 other light cool substance, to keep down the acrid 

 vapor that may arise and injure your plants, but 

 which, if properly restrained by this covering, will 

 serve to render it a rich source of nourishment for 

 any roots that may reach it. 



HOW TO SOW FLOWER-SEEDS IN HOT-BEDS. 



Sow the seeds either on the surface, (each kind 

 by itself, covering them according to their size, from 

 one-fourth of an inch to an inch,) or in very shallow 

 drills, drawn with the finger, or a bit of stick, or the 

 point of a poker, or any thing else you like better 

 taking care to cover them. It is still better to 

 sow in pots plunged into the hot-bed, as they can 

 be easily removed to the open beds afterwards. 



Melon or Cucumber hot-beds will be convenient 

 for receiving pots, which can be taken out before 

 the Melons or Cucumbers require the space thus 

 occupied. 



Make a slight hot-bed for the half-hardy Annuals; 

 for the covering of which, hand-glasses, or frames 

 covered with oiled paper, or hooped mats, will an- 

 swer very well ; but for the tender, a hot-bed frame 

 must be supplied. 



