374 GARDENING FOB THE SOUTH. 



size of the bed, and if good lay it aside for use. Fill this 

 trench with good fresh dung for the bottom, and lay on 

 this the prepared dung, until the whole is six inches thick 

 above the surface; beat it down firmly- with the back of 

 the fork, and build up the sides with a slight but regular 

 slope. Let the bed slope downwards towards the walk, 

 lay over it three inches of good clayey loam; place 

 another layer ten or t wel ve inches thick of prepared dung, 

 and in the same manner continue until the bed is two and 

 a half or three feet thick. Cover the bed with clean litter, 

 to prevent drying and the escape of the gases, and let it 

 remain ten days, or until the temperature becomes mild 

 and regular; about 60°, and certainly not less than 50 , is 

 the proper degree of warmth. Here skill and practice are 

 most required, for on the treatment at this precise point 

 the success of the bed depends. If the manure has a 

 brown color, and is so loose and mellow that when pressed 

 it will yield no water, but has a fat, unctuous feel, with- 

 out any smell of fresh dung, the bed is in a right state. 

 If it is dry and hard, or sloppy and liquid, it is not in the 

 proper condition. In the first case moderate watering 

 may restore it, but in the latter the superabundance of 

 water will probably spoil it, and it is better to commence 

 anew. When the bed is ready, break the bricks of spawn 

 into lumps the size of a walnut, which plant regularly six 

 inches apart over the surface of the bed, including its 

 sides and ends, just beneath the surface of the manure. 

 Level the surface by gently smoothing with tin 1 back of 

 the spade. Fine rich loam, rather light than otherwise, is 

 then put on two inches thick; and over this, a covering of 

 straw from six to twelve inches, according to the tempera- 

 ture. If the bed gets too hot, take off most of the covering. 

 When the bed appears too dry, sprinkle it gently with soft 

 tepid water in the morning. The water should be poured 

 through the rose of a watering-pot upon a thin layer of 



