Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-04-11
The Hot-Bed.

In order &c secure early vegetables or
flowers, a hot.bed is ind spensable. Com
paratively few, however, make any at
tempt to provide any thing Of the kind.
Many Who have nohot-l'cds would be glad
70 have one if they Sne'v how to construct
and manage it, and for tho benefit of such
We will give few direc tons.
The first thing to be attended to Is to
procure the manure. Fresh stable manure
In which there is plenty Of litter is best.
Il the manure does not already contain a
sufficient amount Of litter and straw. more
should be added, until at leas, one-third
Of the heap Is litter. Enough OF the ma
u1re and straw shoull be procured to
make pile about three feet high, and one
foot wider and longer tlan the required
bed. This must be thorC ughly torked over
and mixed, adding watr il the manure
Is very dry, and then ltlt in a compact
heap for week or ten days until It be-
gins 10 ierment well. Then mix thorough
Is again aud prepare the bed. Choose u
smuy aspect when prac icablc and if it
faces the southeast, 1t will be better A
high board fence, bull ling or a an ever
| green screen on the north. will be valua-
Die as a protection. If the box, or frame,
ms been already made, mark OF space
SIX or eight inches larger, and drive a
stake in the ground at each corner, so as
to be about three feet high. Then COM
mence with the manure, and build the ma
uure bed by placing layer after layer, per-
ciscly as farmer build; haystack, ex.
cept that the ho;-bed should be lighter and
lower in the middle, instead of compact
and rounded as in the haystack. II the
manure Is placed 200 light and loose, the
heat will be short and violent; if too solid
| the heat will no, rise. The common prac-
| tice j. to place with the fork, even aud
successive layers, beating the centre down
.ompac,ly with the FORK and treadins the
outer LAYERS. With some margrc, tread
ING would make it too solid. The height
vii also vary some from the same cause
that l.. hirher bed must be made OF
manure which does not ferment freely
| The he'd should be about six inches high.
er at the back than in front.
The frame can be constructed by any
handy man at a very small expense. 1t
COZ lists Of a wooden frame, generally SIX
feet wide, fifteen inches high at the back,
aud twelve inches in front. aud from six
90 sixteen feet long. according to the sup
| ply o. early vegetables required. The
| frame should be sub-dlyided by cross bars
and each division covered by glazed
ash the sides and ends should be Joined
| bv hooks and staples, to admit Of its being
taken spart and stored away when not re-
guircd The bed being prepared, place
lie frame in position and close the safhes.
The manure will begin to heat immedia.
telv. aud in about three days it should be
covered with six or eight inches of rich
srd finely pulverzed garden soil. The
sashcs should then We kept slightly raised
so that the steal and vapor may pass off
and in about a week or as soon as the
heat in the soil declines to l009, the seed
nav be planted. When the manure is
TOO d., tine bed will sometimes stop heat
| ny COO soon. In such case, make few
| hole, with a. crowbar in the top Of bed
aud pour IN water. This will soon revive
lie heat aud give the piauts a fresh start
| Practical Farmer.