Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-03-23


DR.. Charles Jewetl gives the following di-
rections for making and managing an mex.
psnsiye structure, which he calls "The Farm.
er's Hot Bed" The bed may be four feet
wide and six or eight feet loog, according to
the fancy of tho maker Some bts Of old
plsOk, or even inch boards will answer for
material, with a few stakes to hold them in
place The stakes at the ends should be
crotohed, to support poles, over which an old
blanket, rug, or piece Of sackcloth must be
thrown at night, from the time Of planting
until the plants are removed Or straight
stakes may be used and the tops saved of,
after being driven, and The poles fastened on
the top With nails In constructing the bed
no boards will he needed in the rear if il il
backed. as il should be-, against a building, a
board fence, or a close wall The bed should,
It possible have n southeastern or southern
exposure About two feet, or thirty inches
high in tho rear and eighteen or twenty inch
ca front, will give sufficient depth The en-
closed space should be filled, to within six
inches OF the top, with fresh unfermented
manure from the horse stable, which must he
lrodden well together -Four or FIVE inches
OF good loan from the garden, enriched with
few ashes, a little ground plaster, and some
fine, well roued manure, spread over the sur
face, will complete the bed. The cloth placed
over the bed at night should be thrown of 10
the morning, as soon as the sun is up. A few
short boards placed near the bed will answer
70 protect il in case Of a storm. The bed may
be constructed and fitted ready Tor planting,
by an active man who has the materials
n two hours, We will now proceed to plant
IT, Look out some white bhchss three or
fur inches through Split the bark up aud
down. aud then peel il off in strips about four
or i've inches 10 width. Sew with strong
thread the ends Of each strip together, lap
ping them half an inch at top and an inch at
bottom, so that the pot may be little less
in diameter at the bottom than at top. Pre-
pare some loan from the ground as direc ed
above, and I'll each pot, setiing it down on
the floor during the operation, aud pressing
earth in firmly. When within one inch of
being filled, put in your seeds OF the squash
about two, OF the melon or cucumber, four,
about two inches apart, and cover them
pressing the earth moderately upon the
seeds Place your pots close together on
the centre of your bed and 6ll the space be-
tween them with loan, banking up around
the outside row Of the pots with the same
material. Your pots will occupy but small
part Of the surface Of your bed, and on the
remaining portion you can SOW your tomato,
lettuce, pepper and cabbage seeds, and grow
fine e,lsrge plants by the time your garden is
sufficiently warm to have them transplanted
When the roots Of your squash and cucumber
plants, begin to show themselves at the bot
tom Of the pots, which yon can learn by rails.
ing one of them occasionally, .hey must be
removed to your garden. By this method,
which can be adopted with little labor and no
expense, two or three weeks are gained for
plants which require O long season, or OF
which an ehrly product is desired. II the
bed becomes too hot, raise the pots aud put
more soil under them Give the bed water
from time to time with the water.pot, as you
can graduate the quantity thus better than by
leaving it uncovered during a shower II
you have small boxes, as every farmer should
have, TO protect plants when first trans.
planted, or from the effects Of cold night cir;
place them over your squash and melon plants
for the fret twenty four hours an during the
nights of the first week after removing them
to your garden. Some straw or old hay
placed around your bed will prevent the radi.
alton or loss Of heat