FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOT-BEDS. 51 



has taken place, which will be indicated by the escape of 

 steam from the heap, it should be again turaed over and 

 carefully shaken out, formed again into a pile, and left un- 

 til the second fermentation occurs, which will be usually 

 in two or three days. It may now be placed in the pit, 

 being regularly beaten down by the back of the fork, and 

 trodden so that it is uniformly of the same solidity, and to 

 the required depth, 2^ feet. The sashes are now placed 

 on the frames, and kept close until the heat rises ; at this 

 time a thermometer, plunged in the heating material, 

 should indicate about 100 degrees, but this is too hot for 

 almost any vegetable growth, and besides the rank steam 

 given out by the fermentation, should be allowed to escape 

 before operations of sowing or planting begin. New be- 

 ginners are very apt to be impatient in the matter of hot- 

 beds, and often lose the first crop by planting or sowing 

 before the violent heat has subsided, which it generally 

 will do in about three days, if the heating material has been 

 sufficiently prepared. As soon as the thermometer in the 

 frame recedes to 90, soil should be placed on, to the depth 

 of 6 or 8 inches. This soil must be previously prepared, 

 of one-third well rotted manure, (or, if procurable, rotted 

 refuse hops, from breweries), and two-thirds good loam, 

 spread regularly over the surface of the hot-bed. 



We use hot-beds for various purposes. One of the 

 most important uses is the forcing of Lettuce ; this ia 

 planted in the hot-beds, (from plants grown in the cold 

 frames), 50 under each sash, the first crop by 2nd week in 

 January ; it is covered at night by straw mats, and is usu- 

 ally marketable by the first of March. At that season Let- 

 tuce is always scarce, and will average, if properly grown, 



