22 GREENHOUSES 



ume, and some will be needed to bank the 

 sides and ends. It is placed in layers in a 

 pile 4 or 5 feet wide, about 4 feet high and 

 as long as necessary to contain the required 

 amount, each layer being lightly tramped as 

 placed. This is done under cover if possible. 

 After two or three days, or as soon as the 

 pile begins to steam, it is re-piled, the outside 

 of the first pile being placed into the center 

 of the second to encourage even heating 

 throughout. The manure is moistened with 

 warm water if it has become dry. If prop- 

 erly made a vigorous fermentation will have 

 set in after two or three days and it is then 

 ready to be placed in the bed. If not 

 thoroughly warmed through in three or four 

 days after the second handling, it is re-piled 

 again every few days until fermentation is 

 established. Poor heating qualities may be 

 the result of: (i) Manure from poorly-fed 

 horses; (2) cold weather; (3) too wet or too 

 dry manure; (4) too much litter in the man- 

 ure and (5) shavings or swamp hay used as 

 litter instead of straw or leaves. 



If a steady heat for several weeks is re- 

 quired, the manure is placed in the pit in thin 

 layers and trampled quite solidly, especially 



