314 SOILS AND PLANT LIFE 



should be moist, .but not wet. It should be forked over' 

 every few days and kept moist by the addition of water as 

 necessary, as this treatment will cause it to begin heating. 

 When the pile has begun to steam uniformly, which usu- 

 ally takes place after about two weeks, it may be placed in 

 the pit which you have dug. This should be done by put- 

 ting in a shallow layer, tramping or packing it down well, 

 then adding another layer, and so on until you have from 

 twelve to eighteen inches of well packed manure in the 

 bottom of the pit. This material will probably heat up 

 quickly, cool down in a few days, and then begin gradually 

 to heat again. When it begins to warm up the second 

 time, it should be thoroughly tramped and then covered 

 with about six inches of rich, mellow, sandy soil. 



A thermometer should be placed in the soil ; and when 

 the temperature has again fallen below ninety degrees 

 Fahrenheit, the seeds may be safely planted. We should 

 keep in mind at this time that the cool season plants re- 

 quire a lower temperature than the warm season crops. 



Plant some radishes, lettuce, cabbage and tomatoes in 

 rows, and some melons in little squares of inverted sod. 

 The rows should be far enough apart to prevent crowding. 



After the little plants come up, it is necessary to watch 

 the hotbed to see that they receive ventilation. The sash 

 should be raised, or taken off entirely, on warm days, and 

 closed down, or even covered over with old blankets during 

 cold nights and days. Then, too, the watering must be 

 done carefully. Apply enough with a watering pot to 

 keep the soil moist, but not wet. Perhaps the best time to 

 do this is about four o'clock in the afternoon. One good 

 watering every other day, or even less frequently, is better 

 than watering lightly, more often. 



• For small hotbeds the manure may be taken from the barn 

 and placed directly in the hotbed. 



