22 MAKING OF A FLOWER GARDEN 



may often be met by a single season's production. 

 Practically all hotbeds are the same in their work- 

 ing, but there is considerable latitude in their con- 

 struction, especially between the permanent construc- 

 tion of one attached to a permanent home and one 

 of temporary expedience. 



For a permanent hotbed there is nothing better 

 than concrete and the expense of this form of con- 

 struction is not great. For a small garden, including 

 both flowers and vegetables, a bed three feet wide and 

 fifteen long is ample. Florists make their beds much 

 wider, but for the home gardener, especially the 

 woman gardener, a bed three feet across is as wide 

 as can be handled comfortably. The depth — whatever 

 the size of the bed — will be the same, about four feet. 

 In mild climates a more shallow depth will be prac- 

 ticable, but in the colder parts of the country a con- 

 siderable depth of manure is needed to give the neces- 

 sary, continuous heat for a period of several weeks. 



The simplest way to construct a concrete hotbed is 

 first to mark out on the ground where the iotbed 

 is to be — a warm, southern exposure in the protection 

 of a wall or building and with good natural drainage 

 should be selected and as near the house as possible 

 for convenience in caring for it. JJext dig a narrow 

 trench along this outline about four feet in depth and 

 with as smooth and even sides as possible. Into this 

 trench a good quality of grout should be poured and 



