11] 



THE AMERICAN GARDENER. 



41 



with a pointed stick, make a mark in the ground all 

 round the outside of the Frame. Then take the 

 Frame away. Then take some sharp-pointed 

 straight stakes, and drive them in the ground, at 

 each corner of this marked-out place for the bed, and 

 one or two on the back and on the front side. Let 

 these be about four feet high. They are to be your 

 guides in building the bed ; and, they ought, there- 

 fore, to be very straight, and to be placed jperfectly 

 upright. Each stake may be placed about an inch 

 further out than the mark on the ground ; for fear 

 of having the bed too narrow ; though, observe, 

 the bed should be as nearly the same length and 

 breadth as the Frame as it is practicable to make it. 



73. In order to begin the work well, it is a very 

 good way, to put some hoards on their edges, on 

 the ground, at the ends and sides, on the insides of 

 the stakes ; so as to have a sort of open box to be- 

 gin to make the bed in. The eye of a gardener 

 scorns such assistance ; but it is very useful to per- 

 sons unused to the work. 



74. Thus, all being prepared, you begin making 

 the led. Begin taking the dung on the side of your 

 heap nearest to the spot where you are building the 

 bed. Keep taking up clean to the ground. Have 

 shovel as well as fork. Take long and short fairly, 

 and mix them well as you put them in. Shake tht^ 

 stuff in such a way as not to suffer any lumps. 

 Shake every straw from every other straw. Let the 

 bed rise in all parts together as nearly as possible. 

 That is to say, do not put much in one part at one 

 time. Beat the whole down with the fork as you 

 proceed. When you have shaken on dung to the 

 thickness of four or five inches, beat all over well 

 again ; and so on, till the work be finished. But 

 mind: you must be very careful to keep the edges^ 



