FEB.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN, 



is taken, the burning will soon reach the roots of the plants ; there- 

 fore, for the first week or ten days, let the bottom of these hills be 

 at times examined, by drawing away a little of the earth below ; 

 and if any burning appears, remove the burnt earth, replace it with 

 new ; and by drawing some away quite round, let the hills be kept 

 as narrow as they will just stand, so as to support the plants, and 

 let them remain till the danger of burning is over ; when you 

 may replace it again* 



When the great heat abates, or the roots of the plants begin to appear 

 through the sides of the hills, then add some fresh, light, rich earth 

 all around them ; about three days after, you may lay some more ; 

 and in two or three days after that, you may earth the bed all over, 

 to the full thickness. But before you lay the fresh earth to the 

 sides of the hills, let it be first laid a few hours, or for one night, in 

 the frame, up towards the sides, that it may acquire an equal 

 degree of warmth with that in the bed ; then, being applied as 

 above, it will not be in danger of chilling the roots of the plants. 



The next particular care is that of lining the hot*bed when the 

 heat declines ; therefore, when the heat of the bed begins to decrease 

 much, let a lining of the best hot dung be applied in due time 

 to the back or front of the bed, or to both, if the heat is 

 very much declined. The dung for this purpose should be prepar- 

 ed in the same manner as that for making the bed. Remember, 

 that if there was a lining of dry litter laid round the sides of the 

 bed, to defend it from wet, Sec. as before directed, this must first 

 be removed before you apply the lining; then line the sides of the 

 bed, about from twelve to fifteen or eighteen inches wide, according as 

 the heat is less or more declined, which should be raised about four or 

 five inches higher than the dung of the bed, to allow for settling : 

 lay some earth on the top of the lining, to keep the rank steam of 

 the fresh dung from coming up that way ; which, if it did, would be 

 apt to enter the frame, at the place where the lights are raised to 

 admit air, and prove of bad consequence to the plants. 



Of stopping or topping the above Pltints., 



The young plants, both cucumbers and melons, should be stopped 

 or topped, if not done before, at the first joint, by pruning oft' the 

 top of the first runner-bud; which is necessary to promote a stocky 

 growth, and cause them to put forth lateral shoots at the first and 

 second joints, to form fruitful runners ; and from these, others of the 

 same nature will be produced. 



This operation should be performed when the plants have two 

 rough leaves, and when the second is about an inch broad, having 

 the first runner-bud rising at its base ; the sooner this is detached, 

 the sooner the plants acquire strength, and put out fruitful runners. 



It is to be done in the following manner : 



You will see arising, in the centre of the plant, at the bottom of 

 the second rough-leaf, the end of the first runner, like a small bud ; 

 which bud or runner, being the advancing top of the plant, is now 

 to be taken off close, and may be done either with the point of a 



Q 



