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CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



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HOW TO PREPARE A HOTBED. 



BY HERMANN SIMMERS, TORONTO. 



FOR those that take a deep interest 

 in horticultui'e, and wish to 

 have a supply of plants at a very 

 moderate price, tlie best plan is to 



attempt a hotbed, and find that he 

 may grow early plants equally as well, 

 and just as early as a market gardener or 

 florist. As will be seen by the illustra- 



observe the following instructions as to 

 "How to prepare a Hotbed." No 

 person can fully realize the great bene- 

 fit of a hotbed until he has thor- 

 oughly tested it. When the amateur 

 makes a purchase of a few packets of 

 seed, and attempts to raise plants in a 

 box in the house, probably before the 

 plants have properly developed they 

 would be in no better condition than if 

 they had been sown in the open air ; 

 havin» been grown under disadvan- 

 tageous circumstances. He may plant 

 out a lot of puny plants, which would 

 take half the summer to recover, if 

 they ever live that long. Therefore 

 with what satisfaction must any person 



tion, the bed is made on the level 

 ground, taking fresh strawy horse 

 manure for the foundation of the bed. 

 The manure should be thoroughly 

 shaken up, whilst building the bed, so 

 as not to allow any lumps to interfere 

 with the heat, and thoroughly tramped 

 to keep the heat together. The depth of 

 manure reiiuired should be about eigh- 

 teen inches, and when the manure has 

 been thoroughly tramped, place the 

 frame on this. The frame to be made 

 three inches higher at the upper end. 

 than at the lower, to allow a slight fall. 

 On the frame place the sashes, and 

 allow the beds to remain in this condi- 

 tion for about ten days, when the 



