128 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



Hot-Beds. The purposes for which the hot-bed is used are, 

 in the main, the early raising of plants and the growing of 

 certain crops to maturity, so as to obtain supplies more or less 

 in advance of those produced under normal conditions. The 

 heat for these beds may be supplied by means of flues or hot- 

 water pipes, but it is more usually obtained from fermenting 

 manure, tan-bark, or leaves. 



The proper place for a hot-bed is on well-drained soil, with 

 a south aspect, sheltered from cold winds by a building, fence, 

 or tall close hedge ; it should also be near the water supply. 



The material most generally used for obtaining the heat is 

 fermenting horse manure, and for the most satisfactory results 

 it is important that this should be from well-fed horses and 

 uniform in composition and texture. It should contain plenty 

 of urine-soaked litter. The addition of half its bulk of dry tree- 

 leaves will contribute towards a steady and lasting heat, and 

 this end may also be attained by mixing in a portion of unused 

 manure which has been stored to keep dry and cool in narrow 

 high-pitched stacks (see pages 82-83). In an emergency a 

 third portion of cow manure containing plenty of litter may be 

 well mixed with the fresh horse manure, though this is not 

 recommended, as its action is slow and rather uncertain. 



The object in view is the production of a uniform and steady 

 heat throughout the bed. The first fermentation is nearly 

 always irregular, beginning in isolated places in the heap whilst 

 others remain cool. For this reason it should first be thrown 

 into a large compact heap. As soon as fermentation has well 

 begun, as may be seen by the issue of steam, it must be turned 

 and thoroughly mixed, throwing that which was outside to the 

 middle and breaking all hard lumps. This turning must be 

 repeated several times at intervals of about two days to 

 permit the escape of rank steam and noxious gas. Generally 

 three turnings are sufficient, though sometimes, especially 

 when the manure is very fresh and from highly-fed horses, it 

 will heat so quickly and violently that it has to be wet in order 

 to keep it from burning and will probably need turning five or 

 six times before it is fit for use. If the weather is cold and 

 fermentation is slow to begin, the addition of a little hen manure 

 or wetting the heap with hot water will sometimes put matters 



