SECT. XIII. OF HOT BEDS. 185 



the pit may be made level all round, of a depth to 

 hold the bark and mould, on which frames of wood 

 may be set. Let the pit be sunk one-third, or one- 

 half in the ground, as the soil about it is dry or not. 



To encrease the heat of a dung bed when it de- 

 clines, a warm lining of straw, or hay, put round it, 

 a foot wide, and laid high up the sides of the frames, 

 will recover it for a few days ; but a lining of hot 

 dung, one foot and a half wide at bottom, and narrower 

 at top, should be applied first to the back, and in 

 about a week after to the front, before the heat is 

 greatly gone off; and if very bad weather comes, 

 there should be a lining of straw all round this. In 

 cases of great declension of heat, the ends should 

 have hot dung applied to them, or, at least, a good 

 thickness of litter, or straw. Lay all linings a few 

 inches higher than the bed, to allow for sinking; or, 

 not being laid quite so high at first, add more after- 

 wards, when a little settled. Early made beds may 

 require two or three repeated linings. Should dung 

 of a brisk heat for a new lining be wanting, the old 

 lining may be worked up with what there is, and if 

 shook up with quite fresh (but foul) dung from the 

 stable, do very well. 



To decrease the heat of a bed, several holes may be 

 made in it, by thrusting an iron bar, or a thick smooth 

 sharp pointed stake, up to the middle, which holes 

 are to be close stopt again, with dung or hay, when 

 the heat is sufficiently abated. 



The uses to which hot-beds may be applied are 

 various, but chiefly for the cultivation of cucumbers 

 and melons, for which see the next section. At thfj 

 spring of the year, hot-beds are commonly made 

 use of for forcing crops of several vegetables, as ra- 

 dishes, carrots, cauliflowers, lettuces, potatoes, tur- 

 neps, kidney beans, purslane, tarragon, small sallad- 

 ing t &e. Fruits of several sorts, as cherries, straw* 



