608 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Jan, 



in sunshine. The great objects to guard against at this season, 

 are too much rank steam, and an excess either of heat or cold. 

 Air should be admitted as freely as the weather will permit, 

 that the plants may not be d^a^m up too weakly. The bed 

 should not only be examined morning and evening, but also 

 once or twice throughout the day, until the plants get a little 

 stronger ; if the roots be in danger of being destroyed by too 

 much heat, take the pots up a little ; and if too cold, plunge 

 them a little deeper into the bed. As soon as the first seeds 

 are above ground, a few more should be sown as a substitute 

 in case of accidents, and this second sowing should also be 

 succeeded with a third, and so on. In ten or twelve days 

 after this seed-bed is put up, it is probable that the heat will 

 be beginning to decline ; this should be watched for, and, upon 

 the least appearance of it, a lining of well-fermented dung 

 should be applied to one or more sides of the bed, as may be 

 judged necessary ; this lining should be protected in the same 

 manner as has been directed for the bed, by covering it round 

 with reed-mats, long littery dung, or bean-haulm, which will 

 not only keep the bed and lining perfectly dry, but will also 

 prevent the wind from blowing the heat out of it. The lining 

 thus put round, should be from fifteen to eighteen inches thick, 

 and a few inches above the bottom of the frame. It should 

 not, however, be built either too thick or too high at this 

 time, lest it throw too much heat suddenly into the bed, and 

 thereby endanger the plants. The inside should be examined, 

 and a little fresh dry mould laid all round the inside of the 

 frame, to prevent the admission of too much steam ; for although 

 a certain portion of steam is necessary for the welfare of the 

 plants, so as to keep up a moist warm atmosphere, yet too 

 much would be attended with danger ; upon examining the bed 

 in the morning, a sufficient quantity of steam should be found 

 to appear like a fine dew all over the plants, and hanging in 

 beads upon the under side of the leaves. In ten or twelve 

 days after the first lining is applied, it may be necessary to 

 apply it to the remaining sides, which will revive the heat of 

 the whole, and if covered over also with any dry littery matter, 

 to resist the cold cutting winds, and cold rains or snow, it will 

 keep up a sufficient heat for some time longer. 



