HOT 



HOT 



full of moist, warm, steamy litter, is also very 

 desirable, as it may be readily brought to a pro- 

 per condition. 



In this sort, it is the best method to throw it 

 up, to gather and mix the different parts well 

 before it is made use of in preparing the 

 beds. 



But for the purpose of manure it is more pro- 

 per for most sorts of crops when it is more re- 

 duced, and brought into a soft, moist stale. 



HOT-BED, a sort of bed constructed for 

 the purpose of producing artificial heat. 



These beds are mostly formed either of horse- 

 dung or tanner's bark, being raised two, three, 

 or four feet high, and covered with garden- 

 frames and glasses, &.C. 



It is by the aid of these beds that various 

 tender plants, flowers, and fruits, are raised in 

 perfection, which, without such artificial heat, 

 could not possibly be produced or continued in 

 this climate. By this means, likewise, vast 

 numbers of seeds, which would otherwise re- 

 main years in the earth, and some never grow 

 at all, are made to germinate, form plants, con- 

 tinue their growth, and produce their flowers 

 and fruits, as in their native soils. And the 

 cuttings and slips of many sorts of trees and 

 shrubs, which would otherwise remain inactive 

 and perish, are also made soon to emit root, 

 fibres, and shoots, and become plants. 



By this means, likewise, many valuable escu- 

 lent plants that succeed in the full ground at one 

 time of the year or other, are brought to per- 

 fection much sooner than they could otherwise 

 be obtained, as the cucumber, asparagus, peas, 

 beans, kidney-beans, radishes, carrots, straw- 

 berries, and various sallad herbs, and other 

 plants, which grow in the open ground. 



Annual flowering plants, as well as those of 

 the herbaceous and shrubby kinds, are also 

 brought to more early perfection and flowering 

 by them. They are therefore of great use in 

 the practice of gardening. 



JJit/ig Hot -beds. — The proper situations for 

 making these beds in are the forcing-ground, 

 or other sheltered, warm, sunny exposures. 



Hot-beds are sometimes made entirely on 

 level ground, and sometimes in a trench or ob- 

 long cavity formed in the ground, the width 

 and length of the intended bed, and from twelve 

 inches to a foot and half deep or more; but for 

 early work in winter or spring, they should be 

 mostly above ground, upon the level rather 

 elevated surface, that the bottom of the bed may 

 stand dry, and not be liable to be chilled by wet, 

 as, when made in this way in those seasons, 

 when the heat declines, both sides of the bed 

 may be lined with hot dung quite to the bot- 



tom, so as the whole bed may have an equal 

 benefit of the lining to revive its declining heat, 

 which is essentially necessary during winter and 

 spring, until the middle or latter end of May. 

 But when Hot-beds are made in trenches at ait 

 early season, when linings must be added to 

 support a constant regular heat, all that part of 

 the beds within the ground is deprived of the 

 advantage of them. 



The forms and dimensions of dung Hot-beds 

 should generally be that of long squares, ran- 

 ging nearly east and west, to any length conve- 

 nient ; about four feet and a halt broad, if to be 

 covered with common garden-frames ; and three 

 and a half or four feet, if for hand-glasses ; 

 raising them, if in winter, or early in spring, 

 three or four feet or more high, allowing for 

 settling, as they will settle half a foot or more 

 in a week or two's time after making. The 

 early beds should be substantial, otherwise they 

 will not support a durable uniform temperature 

 of heat for continuing the plants in a regular, 

 free growth ; which, by aid of linings, must be 

 effected till the arrival of warm weather. Those 

 made in winter should be three feet and a half 

 high, at least, when first made ; or if four, the 

 better; in March a yard high, in April the same, 

 or two feet and a half, and in May two feet. 



They may be made for a one-light, two-light, 

 or three-light frames, and for two, three, or 

 more three-light frames in a range, according to 

 circumstances. 



Forming the Beds. — After marking them out, 

 some of the longest or most strawy dung should 

 be shaken along the bottom, to begin the bed 

 with ; then the long and short together, as it 

 comes to hand, shaking it evenly on every part, 

 raising the sides perfectly upright, straight, and 

 as firm as possible; forming the corners also 

 full and very firm, keeping the middle well filled 

 with the best dung; and, as the work advances, 

 beating^each layer of dung evenly and firmly 

 down, with the dung-fork ; or, when it is very 

 long, loose, strawy dung, treading it in to settle 

 every part equally ; proceeding in this manner 

 till the bed is arrived to its designed height, 

 raising that intended for frames, two or three 

 inches higher in the back or north side than in 

 front, to give the greater slope to the glasses to 

 the sun, finishing the top even in every part ; 

 and when the bed is thus raised, trimming up 

 all the short dung remaining at last round the 

 bed, laying it on the top ridgeways along the 

 middle, which may either then, or rather, if a 

 strong bed, in a few days after, when the bed 

 has settled a little, be levelled, to make good all 

 inequalities, and smooth the surface. After 

 thisj set the frame, 8cc. on, and earth the bed as 



