BOTTOM HEAT 93 



the freshest possible horse manure that has not been ex- 

 posed to the weather. Should the manure be dry in 

 spots, sufficient water must be added to moisten it, the 

 whole pile worked over at least twice (three times pre- 

 ferred), so the manure may assume a somewhat dry, oily 

 appearance. Then it should be piled. A layer of less 

 than six inches in the bed will usually give poor results; 

 12 to 18 inches are the usual depths. Then a layer of 

 say four inches of 

 good friable soil is 

 placed on the manure, 

 and lastly a surface 

 inch or ,so of fibrous 

 compost, which be- 

 cause of its content of 

 thoroughly rotted ma- 

 nure, grass roots, etc., 

 will bake very little af- 

 ter watering. Sifted 

 loam or compost FIG - ^-SHIFTING PLANTS 



c1i,~>ii1rl V>*> nc^rl fr>r tVi<= The bal1 of earth comes out freely when the 

 ShOUld be Used tor the pot rim is knoc ked downward as shown. 



seed bed. After the 



sash are put on the frames the temperature 

 should be allowed to rise very high. After this subsides 

 somewhat seeds may be sown. During the violent heat- 

 ing period a little ventilation should be given. Banking 

 around the outside aids in retaining heat. 



Hotbeds in the South, and to some extent also in the 

 North, are often made wholly above ground ; i. e., without 

 any pit. The quantity of manure needs to be greater 

 for a given locality than when a pit is used because of 

 loss of heat at the sides of the pile. Depth of pit, manure 

 and whether a pit shall or shall not be used depend upon 

 the climate and the season when the bed is made. 



137. Fire-fanging is due to various fungi and bacteria 

 working in rather dry manure, which they injure by 

 "burning up" the vegetable matter. To prevent this 



