APRIL] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 329 



MAKING HOT-BED RIDGES FOR CUCUMBERS AND MELONS. 



Make hot-bed ridges about the middle of this month for the cu- 

 cumber and melon plants raised last month, in order to be planted 

 under hand or bell-glasses. For this purpose make trenches three 

 feet wide and two deep, in a warm dry part of the garden, and fill 

 them to the surface with good fresh horse-dung, as directed in Janu- 

 ary for other hot-beds, then you may either earth them directly, or 

 in two or three days after when the dung will be settled, and the heat 

 risen to the top of the bed, laying from seven to nine inches thick 

 of light rich earth over every part. 



When this is done and all the surface made smooth, lay on your 

 hand or bell-glasses in the middle of the ridge four feet asunder, 

 and keep them close down till the dung has thoroughly warmed the 

 earth, then proceed to put in the plants. 



You may plant under each glass two strong melon plants, or three 

 cucumbers; observing, if possible, to remove and plant them with 

 balls of earth about their roots. 



As soon as they are planted, let them be moderately watered and 

 directly set on the glasses ; if sunny weather, and the sun powerful, 

 shade them a little with a mat over each glass, and repeat the water- 

 ings occasionally, once or twice a week, according to the degree of 

 warmth in the bed, and temperature of the weather ; but let modera- 

 tion be always observed in performing this work, especially when 

 newly planted. 



When the plants are well taken with the ground and growing 

 freely, give them plenty of air, by raising the glasses on one side, 

 and when they have grown so large as to run out under the glasses, 

 let these be raised on brickbats, stones, or pieces of wood, to give full 

 liberty to the plants, and do not take them off totally till towards the 

 end of May. 



Cucumber and melon seeds may be sown about the middle of this 

 month, on ridges made as above, and protected with glasses j these 

 will be much earlier than if sown in the beginning of May in the 

 open ground, and much more profitable to market-gardeners. 



PLANTING CAULIFLOWERS. 



In order to have cauliflowers in good perfection, you must be pro- 

 vided with stout early plants, such as are strong, and in the middle 

 States, perfectly fit for planting out, early this month: being fur- 

 nished with these, select a piece of very rich loam, rather inclining 

 to moisture, but by no means wet,, and such as will not be subject 

 either to burn or become stiff and bound by severe drought, always 

 avoiding sand or clay, as much as possible ; give it at least four or 

 five inches deep of well rotted cow-dung, or if this cannot be had, 

 other old manure; dig or trench it one good spade or eighteen inches 

 deep, incorporating the manure effectually therewith, as you proceed 

 in digging or trenching. 



Then in the first week of this month, take up your plants, which 



