. The Canadian horticulturist. Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario; Fruit-culture. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN MANURE HOT BEDS. THE construction and management of hot-beds is an exceedingly simple matter, and yet it requires careful attention to keep plants growing in a healthy condition. Manure beds are most com- monly used, horse manure being preferable to any other ready available substance. Fresh manure recently removed from the stable is the best, but if collected in too small quantities, it should be frequently spread through the winter in order to keep it from heating and spoiling before spr
. The Canadian horticulturist. Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario; Fruit-culture. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN MANURE HOT BEDS. THE construction and management of hot-beds is an exceedingly simple matter, and yet it requires careful attention to keep plants growing in a healthy condition. Manure beds are most com- monly used, horse manure being preferable to any other ready available substance. Fresh manure recently removed from the stable is the best, but if collected in too small quantities, it should be frequently spread through the winter in order to keep it from heating and spoiling before spring. If a good proportion of fine straw or forest leaves are used in the bedding it improves the manure greatly for hot-bed purposes. When ready to begin operations the manure should be forked over, shaken out finely and thrown into a high conical heap to heat; if anyways dry it should be watered until well dampened throughout the heap. Leave it standing in this heap about a week and it will surely heat and begin smoking like a small volcano. There are two methods of forming the bed, some digging a pit and sinking the manure in it, and others simply building the manure up into a square bed and setting the. Fig. 2562. Cold Frame. frame on it; the first named method requires the most labor, the second the most manure, so we will let labor vs. manure decide which you shall adopt. Fig. 2563 shows a perspective view of a bed constructed on the manure without a pit. If the manure is fine, and contains little or no long straw, it will be found necessary to put a plank frame around it to keep it in position. After levelling the manure there should be three or four narrow boards laid across it on which to rest the hot-bed frame, so that after the manure heats all will settle together, otherwise the weight of the frame and sash will force it down into the manure, and the centre of the bed will appear to raise and perhaps displace the plants. Of course you should select a spot for the bed
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