QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 27 



in the morning uncovered wlien the sun rests upon the glass, as every 

 eflort should be made to give the plants all the sunlight possible, as its 

 rays are vivifying to a degree beyond the amount of its heat, it having a 

 chemical and physiological effect beyond explanation. Even dull light 

 is better than no light, consequently it is a bad plan to cover sashes v?ith 

 mats, except for the direct purpose of keeping out cold. Peppers and 

 egg plants require more heat than other plants. Success depends on ^ 



bottom heat from the manure, top heat from the sun, water from daily 

 application, and air at midday. Without plenty of air the other requisites 

 will be fruitless. All seedlings should be transplanted into other hobteds 

 or intermediate beds when two inches high. Hotbeds may be used for 

 forcing lettuce, radish, egg plant, pepper, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower 

 and ornamental flowers. 



We have known locations where stable manure for hotbeds was not Artificial 

 readily obtained, and to meet such conditions we give the following 

 directions for manufacturing a fermenting material for the production of 

 a moderate and continuous heat, the quantities named being suflicient 

 for a box twelve by seven feet. Take as the crude materials, 500 pounds 

 of straw, three bushels powdered quicklime, six pounds muriatic acid, 

 six pounds saltpetre. 



Having prepared the excavation of proper dimensions, spread three or 

 four inches of forest leaves or old hay in the bottom. Upon that spread 

 eight inches of the straw, tramp it down and sprinkle with one-third part 

 of the quicklime. Dilute the six pounds of muriatic acid with twenty 

 gallons of water, and by means of an old broom, sprinkle the bed with 

 one-third part of the solution. Make another layer of eight inches of 

 straw, applying quicklime and the solution as before. Repeat for a third 

 layer. Upon this make a fourth layer of straw, and upon it sprinkle the 

 four pounds of saltpetre dissolved in thirty gallons of water. Place the 

 box in position, bank up outside, within the box spread three inches rich, 

 finely pulverized earth, and put on the sash. A heat will soon be gener- 

 ated which will continue for two or three weeks. 



116. Q. What is the cause of coldness in clay soils ? Radiation. 

 A. Clay soils holding water have much of it to evaporate, and radiation 



always produces cold. 



117. Q. Does drainage warm the soil ? Drainage. 

 A. Yes ; as it reduces the amount of water to be evaporated and radia- 

 tion always produces cold. 



118. Q. What is meant by firming the soil ? Firming the 

 A. It is a newly coined expression to indicate a process as old as the ^**'^* 



agriculture of Virgil. It means pressing down the soil with the feet or a 

 roller, so that the soil and seed or transplanted seedling and soil are 

 brought into intimate contact so that germination or vegetation may be 

 hastened and promoted. 



119. Q. What is sap ? Sap. 



