Thk Canadian IIor i icur.TURisT. 



55 



made six feet wide ami as long as necessary to accommodate the number of 

 sashes to be used. 



A vital point always to he ol)scr\cd in making a iiot-hed is (o s/>r(ad the 

 manure doivn while hot, it then continues to heat, hut if sjjread down cold it will 

 heat very slowly and unevenly or perhaps not at all. Karly in spring, when 

 considerable cold weather may yet be expected, it will he neces.sary to use about 

 a common wagon box full of manure to each sash, but later in the season, when 

 forming beds in which to transplant seedlings, one-half that quantity will suffice. 



The soil to he used should be prepared in advance. It must be light, loose 

 and rich. Ciood sods placed in a heap with alternate layers of cow manure and 

 allowed to stand and decay for about one year, makes a fine compost for starting 

 a hot-bed. In removing the soil from an old hot-bed, shovel out some of the 

 fermented manure with it each year, this will keep it loose and in good 

 mechanical condition. The poorest article I ever saw used in a hot-bed was 



Fic. 12. 



Hot- Red. 



sand washed from the road, which it was thought would ho rich and nice, but it 

 packed down so hard that the whole bed was a failure. 



Soil should he placed on the manure to the depth of from four to six inches, 

 and the glasses adjusted jjroperly. After the soil becomes warm, sow the seed 

 in rows about four inches apart and scatter them tjuite thickly in the rows. 

 Never sow broadcast, as the labor of keeping free from weeds is much greater. 

 When the seedlings are about three inches high, they should be transplanted 

 into rows, 3x6 inches, and as soon as these need more room, or are in danger of 

 running up spindling, transplant again. 



In transplanting tomato plants, the stem should be set down well into the 

 soil, and will take root wherever covered. The object sought is plenty of 



