A YEARS GARDENING 



usefulness of the manure employed restricted thereby; it is only 

 maturing for use in the borders later on. 



Stable manure is generally used for hot-beds. Manured straw 

 should be heaped together, watered, beaten down, and left for a 

 week, when it should be turned over and again watered if dry. This 

 operation should be repeated several times until the odour has ceased 

 to be disagreeable. Next the bed should be prepared, its size being 

 determined by the size of the frame for use upon it. The depth of 

 manure, however, varies according to the heat desired. For a shght 

 hot-bed manure a foot and a half deep is sufficient, and this may be 

 increased up to 4 feet and more where a more potent hot-bed is 

 required. A mild but efi&cient bed can be made from lawn cuttings, 

 decaying leaves, etc. Moistened and set to ferment in good time, 

 they are very valuable in this connection, and some growers always 

 mingle a proportion of leaf manure with stable manure in making a 

 hot-bed. When the bed is prepared and the frame in place — ^but 

 not shut^ — and a few days' interval allowed for the passing off of 

 rank steam, a covering of loamy soil must be added, and the hot-bed 

 or forcing ground will then be ready. 



But forcing need not be restricted to the hot-bed proper. A 

 sheltered and dry border, well screened, may often be used to secure 

 early crops. Good drainage and a suitable light rich soil are essential ; 

 but given these much may be accomplished. 



January is also a suitable month for draining the garden more 

 thoroughly, should it be requisite and the weather permits it. 



ASPARAGUS beds should now be well manured by laying manure 

 on them and allowing the rain to wash it down to the roots of the 

 plants. 



BEANS (Broad) may be sown in frames, and the best method is 

 to use 6-inch pots sunk in a hot-bed prepared as for Cucumbers. 

 Towards the end of the month, in a sheltered part of the garden, well 

 manured and dug. Beans may be sown in the open, and will often do 

 very well. They should be protected with litter or branches against 

 the frost. 



CABBAGE. Plant out towards the end of the month when the 

 weather permits. 



CARROTS may be sown on a hot-bed, or on a south border under 

 a hand-light. 



CAULIFLOWERS should be started in a mild hot-bed or in a 

 frame, and should be ready to plant out in March or April. 



148 



