46 AMERICAN GARDENER. 



Perfectly ufiright. Each stake may be placed 

 about an inch further out than the mark on 

 the ground ; for fear of having the bed too nar- 

 row ; though, observe, the bed should be as near- 

 ly the same length and breadth as the Frame as 

 it is practicable to make it. 



73. In order to begin the work well, it is a 

 very good way, to put some boards on their 

 edges, on the ground, at the ends and sides, on 

 the insides of the stakes ; so as to have a sort of 

 open box to begin to make the bed in. The eye 

 of a gardener scorns such assistance ; but it is 

 very useful to persons unused to the work. 



74. Thus, all being prepared, you begin md- 

 king the bed. Begin taking the dung on the 

 side of your heap nearest to the spot where you 

 are building the bed. Keep taking up clean to 

 the ground. Have shovel as well as fork. Take 

 long and short fairly, and mix them well as you 

 put them in. Shake the stuff in such a way as 

 not to suffer any lumjis. Shake every straw from 

 every other straw. Let the >ed rise in all parts 

 together as nearly as possible. That is to say, 

 do not put much in one part at one time. Beat 

 the whole down with the fork as you proceed. 

 When you have shaken on dung to the thickness 

 of four or five inches, beat all over well again ; and 

 so on, till the work be finished. But mind : you 

 must be very careful, to keep the edges of the bed 

 well beaten; or else they will be more hollow, 

 and will sink more^ than the rest, and then the 

 earth on the bed will crack in the middle. Beat 

 them well ; keep them well up as you proceed ; 

 beat well the sides of the bed, as it goes on rising. 

 Comb the sides frequently down with the tines 



