neath that provided for the cucumber plants (see p. 18). The front may
be formed of two course of brick-on-edge, and if divisions are required,
they should be formed in the same way. The bottom should be made even, and
rendered dry. The material for forming the bed itself consists of short
stable litter, with horse-droppings, but chiefly the latter, brought to a
certain state of fermentation. The droppings and litter should be obtained
daily from the stable, until enough for a bed is collected; it should,
from day to day, be thrown up into a flattish heap, in a dry place, where
it will ferment very slightly. As soon as enough is got together to begin
to ferment, the heap must be turned over; and in these turnings, the outer
and inner parts of the heap, as well as the fresh and the fermenting, must
be well mixed up together; the heaps should be turned every second day,
and should never be made large, or else the dung would become both too hot
and too dry, either of which would spoil it. To avoid this, the heaps
should be flat and shallow, with as much outside as possible; in this way
the air, acting on a considerable portion of it, renders it rather dry,
and checks too rapid fermentation. This preparation must be continued
until the whole mass is brought to an uniform mild, dryish state of
fermentation. Then the bed may be made in the following manner:--About
three inches of the prepared dung is laid evenly over the bottom, and is
beaten down firmly with a flat heavy wooden mallet. Another layer is then
put on in the same way, and this is repeated until the bed is formed to a
thickness of about six inches. The next two inches of the dung should have
about a sixth part of light turfy loam reduced to mould, and sifted, mixed
with it to give it body. The bed is now prepared, and is to be spawned as
soon as it is seen that it does not heat violently. The heat ought not to
exceed 90 degrees: if it reaches higher than this, holes must be made, a
few inches apart, to let the heat pass off, and in a day or two these may
be filled up again. The spawn is to be put in when the heat ranges about
75 degrees; lumps of spawn about as large as a small egg may be used; a
hole should be made with the fingers about two inches deep, the spawn
inserted, and the material of the bed closed about it. Probably by this
time there will be no danger of overheating, and if so, the soil may be
put on; if, however, there is any inclination to overheat, wa