84 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



this material at the disposal of the gardener, but as a prelim- 

 inary it will be necessary to procure some substitute. Where 

 manure from old mushroom beds can be obtained it would 

 answer the purpose admirably, and twenty loads should be got 

 and worked up as described above. Failing that about ten 

 loads of thoroughly decayed stable manure should be procured 

 in the spring. Make this into a compact heap, shaking it out, 

 breaking the lumps, and damping it well as the work proceeds. 

 Repeat this operation several times during the summer, doing 

 all possible to hasten its disintegration. As autumn approaches 

 it must sifted through a gravel screen and the fine portion well 

 mixed with an equal bulk of sifted garden soil. 



The mixture or compost, if of a nice moisture throughout, 

 should be made into a large ridge, with a sharp-pitched top to 

 throw off rain. If rather dry it should be left spread out until 

 well moistened by rain, then ridged up. It will then be ready 

 to use at any time for the purposes mentioned above. The 

 rough material which failed to pass through the screen can be 

 re-made into a heap for further treatment during the winter. 



This compost should be ready for use by the end of August. 

 By this time frames, lights, cloches, and mats should also 

 be ready and close at hand, with the woodwork of the lights 

 well painted, the glass cleaned, and the cloches washed, so that 

 they will admit all the light possible during the dark days of 

 winter. Seeds should have been purchased, tools procured, 

 and the ground thoroughly prepared, so that the work of seed 

 sowing, plant raising, and the setting out of hardy plants to 

 stand in the open-air beds through the winter, can proceed 

 without any hindrance. 



