The Portland daily press., 1866-03-24

| Saturday Morning, March "a, 1865.
| -al- - ----- - . ~ 7---- - .-.,,l f
The dnafy issue of the Press is larger than tie com,
Siea Circulation Of all NE other da,ss an The eity
| Ierms-$S,oc per gear IL, adrance. "
! s8- Reading Matter on all -Four PAGES.
| - - ----------------1-------- --------------1--------
| Hot-beds-Their Uses, Construction, &c.
The construction and management of hot
beds Is so simple and easy. that no farmer or
owner OF garden need be without one while
their value, as means of procuring supply
of early vegetables, is such as to render them
very desirable. The summer seems so much
heightened when we may begin before the us
ual season to enjoy our radishes, lettuce, TOM
atoes, cucumbers &C.. and there can be no
doubt that health is promoted by the temper
ate use of fresh vegetables for food. But the
love OF such things Is far more general than
the enterprise and attention which provide
them. Some persons look upon it, perhaps, as
a matter OF very triaing consequence, or as
oAA~ 49, ASi eAAS SApCoSS iaA CASCCuS tut pfO.-
it. That this is mistake might easily be
shown. Z 10 rcn1 -A#2A ogIZaa 81
There are two modes of constructing the
hotbed in common use; in one, ii Is placed
upon, and in the other partially Jelow the sur
face. The frame of the first is usually made
ofpIank, and is ten or twelve feet long, and
five or six feet wide. The front side should be
atoot or eighteen inches wide, the other, doub-
le its width to form proper slope for the
roof This is made of sash, of which there
are, for the largest size, four, each three feet
wide and about seven feet long, made in the
ordinary way. but without cross-bars, so that
in glazing, the panes ofglass may overlap each
other about quarter Of an inch in order to
carry off the rain. A strip of board six inches
wide should be fastened across the middle of
the frame just even with the top for the sash to
slide and rest upon. The planks forming the
sides and ends may be simply Eailed to four
inch post in each corner. Such frame viii
last for years, and will soon be regarded as an
indispensable part of the apparatus Of the veg
e.able garden.
To form the bed, select dry situation con-
venlently placed, sheltered from the north and
west winds by fences or buildings, but open to
the south and east, so that they may enjoy the
genial influences Of the sun. Allowing space
at least four feet longer each way than the
frame, drive stakes to mark the corners, and
then put on fresh manure from the horse sta
BILE, mixing it thoroughly and evenly, and
treadiLg it down gently, seeking to keep the
pile level and of uniform quality. As much
as cord and halt viii be needed to keep up
the heat if the bed is made the last of March
or early in April in this latitude. lu I'D A--
But beds made of manure above ground are
not so good as those made below it, for the
reason that they are more apt to dry up unless
constantly watered. n-iaiof s1s aos 'n'
For hotbeds beneath the surface, the frames
are constructed in the same manner as above
described, but they are placed over pits dug in
dry soil two or three teet deep, and filled with
manure, that has been thrice shaken up and
turned over, before being committed to the
pit. This should be of the inside size of the
frame. i, Ira sui .r7s1l195 e.ft ...-s,,oti--
Tie mold should be filed into the fame, on
top of the manure bed, in two or three days.
or as soon as the bed has settled and has a
lively, steady heat, the sashes having been put
on the frame as soon as the bed was prepared.
The mold should be six or eight inches deep.
though for growing radishes and lettuce foot
would be better. In two or three days th /,
earth will be ready for the seed. The soil
should be well stirred to prevent the growth
of young weeds, which may have begun to
germinate, and the seed may then be sown IN
shallow drills and covered with earth. Each
drill should be marked with the name OF its
plant. While the weather and heat are such
that they can be kept constantly covered, but
little watering win be necessary; but care
should be taken to keep up proper degree of
moisture in one way or another by rain or the
watering-pot. The heat may be regulated by
the admission of air, and shading from the
midday sun as the season advances, and
should it rise excessively at first, it may be
necessary to open holes for its escape, by run
ming down stakes into the steaming mass. d
A smaller but very useful hotbed may be
made by those who have old window-sashes,
which may be used for roofing them. The
size of the frame must, of course, correspond
to the sash with which it is covered. -taai L.ao
by means of hot-bed, plants may be for
warded at least a month, which, in fact, will
enable person here to raise such fruits and
vegetables as could grow, otherwise, in no
latitude short of Virginia. The addition Of
one month to our growing season in Maine, is
great desideratun. by a hot-bed, we always
make an early start ofsuch plants as the fol-
lowing-tomatoes, squash peppers, early cab
bages and turnips, melons, cucumbers, choice
squashes. and various kinds of annual flowers,
such as amaralths, china asters, &c, &C.
They must all be safely transplanted, as soon
| as the weather becomes warm. TRAxI.