30 



AMEEICAN HOME GARDEN. 



be banked around as directed fijr the pit (page :2T), and is iised 

 for tlie same general pui'poses where deptli is not required. 



HOT BED. 



Tate fresli stable manure that is ready to heat or already- 



heating, and spread a thin 

 layer of it upon the ground, 

 of the size and form of the 

 bed you "wish to make, cal- 

 cidating this alwaj'S full one 

 foot longer and "wider than 

 the fi-ame you intend to set 

 upon it. On this spread 

 other layers, mixing the 

 long and short manm'e to- 

 gether, and shaking it perfectly out of all large kmips or Ijmich- 

 es in the process. Keep it equally packed and level liy beating 

 it over regidarly, but not heavily, "with the back of yom' fom"- 

 pronged fork at about every third layer, filling up any soft 

 spots or hollo"ws you find. 



Keep the edges true and the corners fimi, and "when it at- 

 tains the desired height, shovel up the loose fine manm-c around, 

 and spread it evenly over the top. Set on yom* garden-frame 

 "with care, and fill in "nith rich earth, not throwing it in heav- 

 ily or in heaps, Init spreading it lightly and e^"enly to the de]jtli 

 of fan' i:ir five inches. Rake the sm-face, sow yom' seeifs in 

 drills aljout four inches apart, and put on the sashes. Some 

 defer so'wing imtil the bed heats, but it may be safely sown at 

 once ; and when the heat rises give pjlenty of air, not liy sliding 

 yom' sashes dii"wn, liut Ijy raising them at the Ixick. having a 

 longish triangular' Ijlock or piece of plank to tilt them upon, so 

 that you can open them with it two inches or five. 



In so"wing 3"om' hot Ix-d, let peppers, egg-plant, antl other 

 tender plants be sown ti"igether or under the same sashes, and 

 cabjbages, lettuces, &c., under others, so that they can receive 

 more or less airing as they may require ; or set a thin board, as 

 a temporary ]")artition, betw"een them, under the cross-bar of the 

 frame. Shade the lied luitil the plants are well up, and "v\"ater 



