112 



HOT-BEDS. 



young gardener takes the trouble to keep an account of his 

 transactions, he will soon make discoveries of still greater 

 importance. If not sufficiently acquainted with the different 

 varieties of Cabbage plants, for instance, so as to distinguish 

 the one from the other, by making a memorandum at the 

 time of sowing the seed he will soon get acquainted with the 

 different varieties of plants ; he will also discover the differ- 

 ence in the growing of his seed, and know who to blame if 

 any particular kind should not come up. 



The following represents a Hot-bed with four sashes, sown 

 March 1 : 



It may be necessary to remind my readers of the neces 

 eity of being always prepared to sow Cabbage, Lettuce, To- 

 mato, and Egg-plant seed in hot-beds the last week in Feb- 

 ruary, or early in March ; for this purpose, let some fresh 

 stable dung and rich compost be engaged beforehand. Some 

 gardeners make their beds on the level ground, but it is 

 always safest to make them in pits from eighteen inches to 

 two feet deep;* in order to do this, the pits should be dug 



* When durable heat is required for forcing vegetables, the beds should 

 be made on level ground, in order that linings may be applied to the out- 

 side of the frame, which, by frequent renewal, will enliven the heat of the 

 bed, and thus bring tender vegetables to maturity, which would otherwise 

 suffer from a decline of the heat. For particular directions, see Observa- 

 tions on Forcing Vegetables ; also, article on Forcing Asparagus. 



