163 



amount of dung to penetrate one row only on each 

 side ; when, however, instead of one long bed we 

 have several short ones, parallel, we can fill several 

 trenches, which then act in concert, and the whole 

 mass of soil becomes warmed. When, however, 

 pigeon-holed brickwork is added to support the sides, 

 the whole becomes much more complete and per- 

 manent. 



Mr. D. Spiers, formerly at Mr. Knight's Nursery, 

 King's-road, has improved upon this plan : he makes 

 the beds in width 4 feet 8 inches, and bounded on 

 the sides by pigeon-holed brickwork, 2 feet deep, and 

 they should be east and west, in order that the 

 frames may face the south. A bed of 60 feet in 

 ength will require three frames of 1 5 feet in length 

 each, and 4 feet 6 inches wide. The compost for the 

 bed must consist of one-half sandy loam, one-fourth 

 bog, or good vegetable mould, and one-fourth good 

 rotten dung, all well mixed together. With this fill 

 the bed, so that, when settled down, it may be a little 

 higher than the brickwork. The side trenches should 

 be 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep ; these are intended to 

 receive the linings. Along the middle of each trench 

 a drain should be made of common draining tiles^ 

 to keep the linings free from water. The bed wiU 

 hold four rows of plants, 1 1 inches distant from each 

 other and from the sides of the beds. Strong one- 

 year-old plants should be preferred, and planting in 

 M 2 



