THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



quired. This should be procured before frozen from 

 that which has accumulated over night from young, 

 grain-fed horses. It should be mixed with straw 

 or, better still, with leaves an amount equal in 

 bulk to the manure. This admixture of leaves or 

 straw is very important, as this furnishes heat by 

 the fermentation or heating of the manure and in- 

 sures the permanency of the heat; were only 

 manure used, the heat would be intense at the 

 start, but soon die out for lack of fuel. 



The manure and leaves should be thoroughly 

 mixed, and may be piled at once in the pits, pack- 

 ing it down lightly that all parts of the pit may 

 be filled, or it may be allowed to get well heated 

 before filling the frames. Should the manure be 

 very dry it may be sprinkled with hot water. 

 Place the sash on the beds and leave the manure 

 to heat, which will begin almost at once if the 

 manure is all right. The temperature of the mass 

 may be tested by a thermometer thrust into it, or 

 if a pitchfork is thrust into the manure and allowed 

 to remain a few moments and then withdrawn, it 

 will show at once if the mass is heating. When the 

 heat has penetrated every part of the mass, espe- 

 cially the corners, it may be tramped down. Pro- 



[60] 



