332 THE FORCING GARDEN. [JAN. 



posed to the wind, the heat will be of short duration, 

 and linings will be oftener necessary. They should 

 be exposed to the full south sun, in whatever situa- 

 tion they may be placed. 



Hot-beds are generally composed of stable-litter, 

 and often of a mixture of litter with tree-leaves ; 

 which last produces a lasting and uniform heat, if 

 the litter be rather moist, than dry and fiery. The 

 litter, whether mixed with tree-leaves or not, should 

 always be fermented to a certain degree, before it 

 be built into a hot-bed. If a mild heat be required, 

 it should be the more fermented, and if a brisk heat, 

 the less. From eight to fifteen or twenty days, ac- 

 cording to the state of the litter, and of the wea- 

 ther, may be required for such fermentation ; dur- 

 ing which period, it may be necessary to turn over 

 the heap once, or even two or three times, and to 

 water it well if it be dry, and there be much rank 

 straw in it. It is always safer to ferment the ma- 

 terials too much, than too little, and to avoid a dry, 

 burning heat, which though violent at first, is soon- 

 er over than a moderate, and rather moist heat ; 

 nor is the former so congenial to the nature of ve- 

 getation as the latter, or to the general health of 

 any plant. 



In the building of hot-beds, care should be taken 

 to shake and mix the materials well, and to beat or 

 tread them regularly, that the bed may settle equal- 

 ly in all parts, and may not sit into holes, or crack; 

 which, if it does, is very prejudicial to the roots of 

 plants, by rending or breaking them asunder. If 

 the frame be of the ordinary breadth, that is, five 



