Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-04-12

il'T-BEb- AND CoLD-FEAvEs.-Alr John
y. Dckie gives the following directions tor
making hot beds and cold tra4.cs. in the
Car5stidp U7ioH
Select southern exposure. Tie south
end of building Is best. Go ou. ID the
barn. II there Is fresh manure Jus. thrown
out ON the heap, and well mixed with straw
that will do. II not, YOU shOnld clean after
the horses every morning, throwing the man
ure in heap under cover. Bed the brutcs
with straw or refuse hay, and mix the man
ure well with it. This keeps it hot longer,
and gives n more even warmth. Ia saving
this material you must stir it every morning,
that it may not fire fang " for after such
calamity II Is almost useless. Having col
lected enough you should convey it 10 the
point where your hot bed is to be located.
1t depends upon the size of your sash or
frame, as to the quantity Of manure used /.
but We will suppose one SIX feet long by three
in width. Your manure-pile must be then
eight feet long by four and half feet wide
for there should always be n space of near
ly foot all around your frame when in pos
ition. If is started early, the manure
should be built up two feet and halt high.
II late, eighteen inches or two feet. Keep
the surface level, as you pile it ny, tramping
1t solid with your feet. If the manure be
dry you can pour warm water on it when
the bed is completed. This will hasten its
heating. When of the required height, we
are ready for the frame. it should be made
slsnting-the rear board eighteen inches
wide, and the front foot or so. Ofcourse
your end boards are to be sawed in such
TO llo h.
between the front and back board. Place
this frame on your hot bed-the lower part
toward the south The sash can be made to
suit your fancy. You can take Sxl0 glass,
and tack strips made Of pine lath, then both
fastened at either end, to frame made Just
large enough to fit snugly inside your large
one. You can also clap your glass, the
best way-or make regular sash-If YOU
can't afford glass you can buy some
good cotton sheeting and stretch
1t on frame, made for the purpose.
brushing it over with linseed OIL II you
can't afford the cloth, you can cover your bed
with boards in rough weather, and with
plenty of straw also on cold nights, giving
plenty of light when the sun shines and on
mild days. But glass is the best, of course.
When your frame is in position you must
pile manure all around it and half the way
up This will keep out the cold. If your
hst-bed is made early, it is best to put plenty
of straw around the bed Itself, to protect it
from the cold winds. Now clap on your
glass. Go away and let it alone for three
days, merely raising the glass once in a while
to let out the steam. At the expiration of
that time, take off your sash and put six
inches of mellow soil inside your frame. BE
pery careful 10 put an that depth, at least.
lost whole bedful Of tomato plants last
February, from neglect Of this cantion-This
much for hot-beds at present. And now one
word about cold frames. Make your frame
and sash of any size, and place on bed of
mellow soil in warm location. Having no
manure beneath them, they rely mainly up
on the sun for warmth, and should not be
started so early as the hot-bed. The 18th of
April is probably the proper time. They
should be set three days before sowing tho
-eed-the 18th But write at Columbus,
Ohio. Take good look at its location, and
Judge for yourself as to setting frames or
sowing seeds, according to latitude.