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their places supplied with others in a fresher 

 state. 



During the foregoing months, and January 

 and February, the moisture of the atmosphere 

 in such departments where there is a great 

 body of damp mould, will occasion several 

 species of the bryum, and other mosses, as 

 also of the fungi, to vegetate ; particularly, 

 as the mould has had time to settle, and the 

 surface to become of a close, firm texture ; 

 which would give the house a very unclean 

 appearance. It must be remedied by frequently 

 stirring with a small fork the whole of the 

 pit, to the depth of two or three inches, and 

 raking it over smoothly with a neat close 

 toothed rake; which, as well as the fork, should 

 be particularly adapted to this purpose, by 

 being furnished with short handles ; so as to 

 enable the operator to use them with freedom 

 under the plants, by which means, many 

 branches and flowers will escape being broken 

 off, which cannot be well avoided when awk- 

 ward tools are allowed to be used for this 

 purpose. As soon as raked, let some fine sifted 

 fresh loam be thinly scattered over the surface, 

 and it will tend to give it a more agreeable 



h 



