1X8 THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [Feb. 
around the bottom of the hills if it burns, and supplying the places 
with more fresh mould. 
As soon as the bed is earthed as above, put on the glasses, and 
by the next day the hillocks of earth will be warm; if they are, level 
the top of each a little, so that they may be about eight or nine 
inches deep; then proceed to put in the plants, the cucumbers, and 
melons separately, in different hot-beds or distinct frames, &c. 
Previous to this observe, that as having last month directed the 
plants to be pricked into small pots, three in each separately, and 
as they are now to be turned out of these pots with the balls of 
earth entire, and planted, one pot of plants in each of the above hills, 
I would intimate, in this final transplanting, that two of the best 
cucumber plants and only one melon, would be sufficient to re- 
main, cutting the others away as soon after planting as you are 
able to distinguish which are most likely to do well; however, it is 
adviseable, previously to transplanting, that, in order to have the 
whole ball of earth adhere closely about the roots, to give the pots 
some water the day before; and the method of planting is this: 
having some pots of the strongest plants ready, place your hand on 
the surface of the pot, taking the stems of the plants carefully be- 
tween your fingers, then turn the mouth of the pot downwards, 
and strike the edge gently on the frame, the plants with the ball 
of earth to their roots will come out entire; then making a hole in 
the middle of each hill of earth, place one pot of plants with the 
ball entire in each hole, closing the earth well around it, and about 
an inch over the top, bringing the earth close around the stems 
of the plants; this done, shut down all the lights close for the pre- 
sent, till the steam rises again strong, then they must be tilted a 
little behind, in proportion, to give it vent. 
The plants being ridged out finally into the beds where they are 
to remain for fruiting, you must be careful to give them fresh air 
every day, by raising the glasses a little for its admission, and for 
the great steam to pass off; and it is necessary to cover the lights 
every night with mats, putting them on about half an hour before 
the time of sun-setting, or a little earlier or later as the weather 
happens to be either mild or severfe, and uncover them in the morn- 
ing as soon after the sun begins to shine on them, or after sun-rising, 
as the state of the weather will permit: in covering up, observe, 
that while the bed is very hot, and the steam copiously rising, 
never to let the ends of the mats hang down over the dung outside 
of the frame, which would draw up a hurtful steam, and stifle the 
plants. 
Air must be admitted to them every day when the weather is 
any way favourable, by raising the upper ends of the glasses from 
about half an inch to an inch or two, or in proportion to the sharp- 
ness or mildness of the outward air and internal heat and steam of 
the bed. 
In giving the plants air, it is a good method at this season, espe- 
cially in severe cutting weather, to fasten a mat across the ends of 
the lights where tilted, to hang down detachedly over the place 
where the air enters the frame; the mat will break the wind and 
