116 
ON FORCING VEGETABLES. 
Perhaps the safest time to commence forcing in frames, 
is soon after the middle of February, and the early part of 
March. I before hinted, that the depth of heating materials 
must be regulated by the season of the year at which the 
work is commenced, and also to the purposes for which the 
hot-beds are intended. Beds used for the purpose of raising 
half-hardy plants, or for procuring seedling plants late in the 
spring, may be made in the manner recommended for the 
common hot-bed ; but if substantial heat is required to be 
kept up, the beds must be so contrived as to admit of linings 
as the heat decreases ; and the dung should undergo a regu- 
lar process of preparation, according to the use it is intended 
for. Compost heaps should also be provided, in order to 
furnish suitable mould to the different species of plants ; for 
this purpose, all the old hot-bed dung and mould, leaves, tan, 
turf, sand, and other light manures and decayed animal dung, 
should be collected together. 
In some cases, when a slight hot-bed is recommended for 
forwarding hardy plants, if it should happen that a seedling 
Cucumber bed be at liberty, it may answer every purpose 
for Radishes, Lettuce, or other hardy plants ; or such a bed 
may be spawned for Mushroons, if required. 
If the forcing be commenced before the coldest of the 
winter is past, great precaution must be used, lest the plants 
be injured by cold- cutting winds, or destroyed by heat for 
want of air. To prevent the former accident, warm dung 
should be placed around the frames, and the sashes covered 
with mats and boards every night. If full air cannot be ad- 
mitted in the day time, the sashes must be slidden down to 
let off the steam ; at the same time mats may be laid os r er 
the aperture, to prevent cold air entering to the plants. 
If the bottom heat in a bed be too violent, which is some- 
times the case, means must be used to decrease it. This is 
generally effected by making holes in the bed with a stake 
sharpened at the end, or with a crow-bar ; which holes should 
be filled up when the heat is sufficiently reduced. In lining 
