Spawning in the Dung.
The spawn being in moderate lumps, is to be deposited just within the dung, at regular distances, in rows length-ways beginning the first within half a foot of the bottom, making small apertures by gently raising the dung a little with one hand, whilst with the other you directly insert the lump, proceeding in the same manner with the rest, placing them five or six inches distance in the row, and the rows about six or eight inches asunder, a little more or less, proportionably either to the abundance or goodness of the spawn. If your spawn be in plenty it may be planted closer, and let the small crumbs remaining at last be laid evenly along upon the top of the bed, which finishes the article of spawning.
Then smooth the sides of the bed with the back of the spade evenly, for the reception of the casing of earth, which should be an inch or two thick, evenly laid over every part.
Choose for this purpose any good, light, rich kitchen-garden earth. If the bed is made in any of the kitchen-ground quarters, you may use the adjacent earth on each side; or, if there is a shallow trench made, let the excavated earth be used, being careful, first to break it fine quite down to the bottom of the bed, that no part of it may be lost under ground; then begin the casing or coat, first along the bottom, continuing it regularly up the sides of the bed, beating it lightly with the back of the spade in laying it on, thereby fixing it even and smooth: thus proceed regularly over each side, both ends, and the top, smoothing the whole in a neat manner.
Then place down your long, sharp-pointed sticks, in the sides of the bed, for occasionally trying the internal state of the heat, after being closely earthed over, in order to discover when to apply the covering of litter, &c.
The covering of litter will be required as soon as you discover that there is no danger of burning, which probably may be in a few days, or a week, in moderate beds; in others two or three weeks. This you will readily judge of by the sticks placed in the bed, as above, or according as the weather proves more or less favourable; heavy rains, &c. may oblige you to cover in sooner than you intended, in order to preserve the spawn.
For the purpose of covering, you may provide either clean straw, or long dry horse-stable litter, sufficient to lay about half a foot thick at first, but gradually increased afterwards of due thickness to defend the bed effectually from the air, rain, and inclement weather, and to preserve a low kindly warmth.
As soon as you apprehend all danger from heat to be over, let the bed be finally covered up with the aforementioned dry stable litter, or clean straw, observing to shake the covering on lightly with a fork, nearly a foot thick; at first, we cover only about half a foot, increasing it by degrees, and sometimes only the lower half of the bed, if we are any ways doubtful about the afterheat, so gradually advancing upwards till the whole is covered over. It is also adviseable in Winter, and all bad weather, to spread large thick garden mats all over the litter or straw, &c. both to secure it the better from being displaced by the wind, and to shoot off the rain before it penetrates too much, so as to wet the litter considerably, or go through to the bed, which must also be carefully looked into after excessive rains, and if the litter next the bed be wet, to be removed as soon as possible, and dry litter applied in its place.