KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. CHAP. 



about another fortnight, you are to put a similar lining 

 to both ends of the bed j and, in a fortnight from that 

 time, or thereabouts, according to the weather and the 

 state of the bed, another similar lining in the front of the 

 bed, the dung having, in all these cases, been duly pre- 

 pared as noticed in Chapter III . As these linings sink, they 

 ought to be topped up, keeping them always as nearly as 

 possible to the height of the top of the frame. If very 

 sharp weather come before these linings, or before some 

 of them, have been made, good quantities of litter, or of 

 straw, ought to be brought temporarily to supply their 

 place, so that frost never reach the bed. Even when 

 there are linings, it is good, in very sharp weather, to 

 put litter and straw round the outsides of them ; for, 

 dung being moist, the frost soon reaches it, and then it 

 becomes inactive at once. To these precautions relative 

 to the heat, must be added the not less important ones 

 relative to air and light ; for, without these, no plant 

 will thrive, nor will it live but for a short space of time. 

 At this season of the year, the glasses must be covered 

 over in the night time, as was before-mentioned in the 

 case of the seed-bed j but, these coverings should re- 

 main on in the morning never longer than is absolutely 

 necessary. Though there be no sun, there is light, and 

 plants crave the light at the time when nature sends it. 

 As to air, it is given to the plants by the means of pieces 

 of triangular wood, which every one knows how to make. 

 The light is lifted up at one end, and the tilter, as it is 

 alled, is put under the middle of the light to keep it up 

 to the height required. You sometimes give air on the 

 back side of the frame and sometimes on the front, ac- 

 cording to the direction in which the wind is coming. 



