LEAVES. 



189 



" After being raked into heaps, they should immediately 

 be carried to some place near the hot-house, where they 

 must lie to couch. I generally fence them round with 

 charcoal hurdles, or any thing else, to keep them from 

 being blown about the garden in windy weather. In this 

 place we tread them well, and water them, in case they hap- 

 pen to have been brought in dry. We make the heap six or 

 seven feet in thickness, covering it over with old mats, or 

 any thing else, to prevent the upper leaves from being 

 blown av/ay. In a few days the heap will come to a strong 

 heat. For the first year or two that I used these leaves, I 

 did not continue them in the heap longer than ten days or 

 a fortnight; but in this I discovered a considerable incon- 

 venience, as they settled so much, when got into the hot- 

 house, as soon to require a supply. Taught by experience, 

 I now let them remain in the heap for five or six weeks, 

 by which time they are properly prepared for the hot-house. 

 In getting them into the pine pits, if they appear dry, we 

 water them again, treading them in layers exceedingly 

 well, till the pits are quite full. We then cover the whole 

 with tan, to the thickness of two inches, and tread it well, 

 till the surface becomes smooth and even. On this we place 

 the pine pots, in the raanner they are to stand, beginning 

 with the middle row first, and filling up the spaces between 

 the pots vvdth tan. In like manner we proceed to the next 

 row, till the whole is finished ; and this operation is per- 

 formed in the same manner as when tan only is used, 



" Thus prepared, they will continue a constant and regular 

 heat for twelve months, without either stirring or turning ; 

 and, if I may form a judgment from their appearance when 

 taken out, (being always entire and perfect,) it is probable 

 they would continue their heat through a second year." 

 After some further details, the same writer observes, " I 

 believe that oak leaves are preferable to those of any other 

 sort ; but I have found, by repeated trials, that the leaves 

 of beech, Spanish chestnut, and hornbeam, will answer the 

 purpose very well. It seems that all leaves of a hard and 

 firm texture are very proper ; but soft leaves, that soon de- 

 cay, such as lime, sycamore, ash, and those of fruit-trees in 

 general, are very unfit for this mode of practice." 



The superiority of oak leaves as a material for hot-beds, 

 according to this writer, consists in the following particu- 

 lars : — " They always heat regularly ; for, during the whole 

 time that I have used them, which is near twenty-five 

 years, I never once knew their heating with violence," 



