8o POPULAR VEGETABLES 



fully washed out with quicklime. When the manure 

 is brought into the house it should first be placed 

 loosely in the beds, and allowed to remain so for a 

 few hours to let some of the steam pass away. As 

 soon as this has subsided the grower must then begin 

 to form the bed, beginning at the most convenient end. 

 The same principle of making the bed applies to beds 

 of all shapes, and in various positions, according to the 

 system to be adopted, therefore the mode of making 

 the bed described here will equally apply to forms of 

 beds under other systems. The grower should be 

 provided with a wooden mallet and ram the manure 

 well down as the work proceeds till a depth of nine 

 inches is secured. After all the available manure is 

 worked up in this way the bed should be as hard as 

 a board, and to make sure that it is so give a good 

 treading down with the feet. A hole should now be 

 dug out (in the middle of the bed) with a small trowel, 

 large enough to place a small thermometer in. After 

 placing it in cover over with manure, and indicate 

 the place with a small label. After the lapse of twelve 

 hours the temperature should be ascertained ; it will 

 probably stand at about 80. If the manure is in 

 proper condition the temperature should rise within 

 the next twelve hours from 85 to 90 ; the ther- 

 mometer should be examined again at the end of 

 another twelve hours, when the heat will probably 

 be found on the decline, and as soon as it reaches 

 from 80 to 82 then is the time to insert the spawn. 

 Should it happen that the manure still inclines to rise 



