THE AMATEUR’S KITCHEN GARDEN. 
87 
will keep down the steam, and will serve to plant the roots 
in. A convenient size for a frame is eight feet by four, and 
and it should be divided into three parts, as in the accom- 
panying plan : — 
No. 1 compartment is planted first, and as six inches of 
soil will not admit of the roots being planted down, they may 
be laid in a little on the slant, so as to have the soil up just 
under the crown, and these ought to be three inches from 
each other, and gently watered with tepid water after the 
planting is finished. The frame should then be covered up, 
first with a mat, and over that a layer of short hay two 
inches thick, with another mat at top. This will effectually 
exclude all light, and if the heat is what it ought to be, some 
well-grown kale will be fit for table in about six weeks. Nos. 
2 and 3 compartments are filled at an interval of about a 
fortnight, so that there are always plants in three different 
stages of growth ; and in this manner, by filling up with 
fresh plants every time a part is all cut, a succession may be 
kept up either till the plants are exhausted or the season 
over. 
But this cannot be done with the heat of the bed alone, 
for in the course of two months this will be exhausted, and 
linings will be required. This is done by simply putting a 
good thick layer of fresh stable manure round that part of 
the frame which has been last planted. This will want turning 
and well shaking up about every ten days, to renew the heat. 
It appears necessary to add that a very little air should be 
given every other day for about a couple of hours, to let out 
any steam that may arise from the heat of the bed. This 
will insure a sweet and pure atmosphere, which, if not at- 
tended to, might perhaps be detrimental to the flavour of the 
produce ; but, on all occasions, or on whatever plan of forcing 
is adopted, it is important to remember that the admission of 
light or air for any length of time will discolour the growth, 
which must be avoided. 
