VEGETABLE PLANTS. 15 



of the manure-beds, his only hope of escape is 

 to closely cover all his beds with blanket and 

 mat, for it is beyond his power to increase the 

 intensity of the heat ; but with the fire-bed, 

 how different ! All that is necessary, on all 

 ordinary occasions, is to increase the fire upon 

 the evening of the coldest nights. Indeed, we 

 have found the use of straw mats almost un- 

 necessary, if the sashes fit as closely as they 

 should, and the sides are properly banked and 

 filled with dry leaves to prevent the escape of 

 heat. 



COST OF SASH. Good 3 by 6 hot-bed sash, 

 glazed and painted, ready for use, can now be 

 bought at Binghamton, N. Y., at $2.25 each. 

 This is the most expensive item in the con- 

 struction of any ho.-bed, but it is an expense 

 that cannot well be avoided. Various substi- 

 tutes have been devised for the glass, but, so 

 far as we have experimented, without avail. 



GOOD COTTON SHEETING will sometimes an- 

 swer a very good purpose for late use, after the 

 danger of very cold weather has passed ; but 

 its use is attended with considerable annoy- 

 ance, and, although cheaper in the beginning, 

 it has, with us, proved more expensive in the 

 end, as it will last but very few years. 



