98 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



case, the expense for repairs, during many years, 

 will be trifling; the greatest, indeed, for a little 

 paint occasionally. Another objection has been 

 started by some gardeners, that from the closeness 

 of the platform, there will be a detention of too 

 much moisture ; but that will not be the case if the 

 plants are not deluged, and only have gentle, though 

 frequent, sprinklings; from which, if there should 

 happen to be a superabundance of moisture, it will 

 readily pass off in evaporation, by judiciously 

 giving air at all such times as will seem necessary. 

 Few or no plants bear the weight of atmospheric 

 moisture arising from heat so well as the cucumber, 

 and few vegetables are of a more porous nature. 



Supposing the frame to be built and in readiness 

 to receive the mould, &c., the first thing to be done 

 is to fill up the space left for the lining with strong 

 horse dung litter, which has just begun to heat, so 

 that, as it rises, there will be a strong heat thrown 

 above the platform, which may be raised to 80 

 within the frame, if required. Previously to put- 

 ting in the earth (hence the grand secret on the 

 utility of the platform), there must be laid over the 

 surface of the tiles three or four inches of dung 

 from an old hot-bed, which will be a greater suc- 

 cedaneum or nourishment to the plants than is ima- 

 gined, throughout the season. When that is laid 

 on, an inch or so of fine mould may be strewed over 

 the whole ; after which the mould should be laid in 

 either way, as before advised for dung hot-beds, 

 and the plants, with regard to air, moisture, &c., 

 treated in a similar manner, and particularly the 

 linings, which will want frequent stirring up, arid in 



