HOTBEDS AND COLD FRAMES 57 



straw inwards ; they will help to bind the mass. The 

 outside edge being banked, the interior is levelled up. 

 This done, the edge is again turned to and banked higher 

 and the interior again levelled. Between each layer 

 the mound is beaten down sufficiently to make the whole 

 fairly clinging. When all the manure has been used, 

 rake out the loose pieces from the sides, scrape up any 

 portions that have fallen on the ground and place them 

 on the top of the heap. 



Without loss of time, place the frame on the mound and 

 force the legs into position, but do not let them break 

 away the sides of the heap. Rest the window or light 

 on its beading, prop it open an inch or more and leave 

 for three days. 



At first, the temperature in the frame will rise to 70 

 or perhaps 80, but on the third day it should fall to 

 about 65. When this temperature remains constant 

 place a three-inch layer of good loam over the surface of 

 the manure, and the next day the hot-bed will be ready 

 for use. 



As to the things which we may grow in this frame a 

 good many suggestions will be made in later chapters 

 dealing with vegetables individually. Here we may 

 describe the raising of a crop of carrots or potatoes out of 

 season. 



In December, one of the French forcing varieties 

 of seed, such as Red Carrot or Grelots, is sown in the 

 frame, thickly. For the first week or ten days the 

 window is kept closed, but as soon as the seedlings 

 show through the soil, it must be opened daily, or as 

 often as the weather permits. If the temperature in 

 the frame falls below 60, remove some of the manure 



