270 HOTBEDS FOR EARLY 



give air daily to the plants ; or sometimes it is 

 also necessary, in the early stage of the bed to 

 admit a little air during the night, if the heat is 

 violent and the steam strong ; but in this case 

 defend the aperture, by letting a garden mat 

 hang over it from the top, and this will also be 

 requisite in the day time, when the winds are 

 cold and cutting; but when the heat is moderate, 

 the frames may be kept close at night. Cover 

 the glasses every evening about sunset with one 

 or more mats thick, as the heat of the bed and 

 the atmosphere will dictate. 



It is a very essential thing in early hotbed 

 forcing to lay dry litter round the sides, tolerably 

 thick, which will greatly defend the beds from 

 snow and heavy rains, and the inclemency of the 

 weather generally. This will greatly prevent 

 their chilling, and the heat from suddenly de- 

 clining, which is often the case when this is not 

 done, and frequently proves very injurious to the 

 plants, and sometimes ends in the loss of the 

 crop ; but by the above precautionary protection 

 in an early stage of the hotbed, the heat will 

 continue regular, and of much longer duration. 



