Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-11
To Prepare a HOt-Bed.

The first thing is to select the location
and, if possible. have it on some part O
the border of the garden, and facing east
southeast, or south. The best form o.
frame for small, single bed-all that is
needed for one family-is six feet long and
three feet wide. The back board should
be thirty inches wide, and the front board
twentyfour inches. The side boards should
have the upper edge to correspond, on a
level, with the end boards. If you have
not boards of suitable width for this, make
the top surface true, and fill up the lower
part with any strips on hand. Next. hay
ing the position selected and the frame
made, get ready the manure, which should
be that from horses which have been bed
ded with straw or leaves This should be
piled up under cover for Il week, shaken
up and turned over three times. Now, if
the ground is moist where the bed is to be
placed, do not dig out any dirt but form
the layer of manure one foot larger than
box or frame. Make the manure heap for
bottom heat, thirty inches, and rs you
make it beat it with the back of the fork
from time to time, so that it will settle
evenly; do not step on it. The manure
being placed, set the frame on, and then
one foot out from the base of the manure,
dig spade wide and four to six inches
deep, and throw the dirt up next the box
so as TO form bank down to the trench;
open this trench, so that when it rains,
water will not remain in it and soak into
the soil under the bed. Now place about
eight inches deep of light, rich soil in the
frame after it is placed in the bed-make
it level and place the sash over the frame
Leave the sash raised one inch at the head
of the frame for the purpose Of letting out
the rank steam which first arises, say two
days, when the soil should be nicely raked
over and seeds sown, such as cabbage,
celery, tomatoes, lettuce, rad
sh, cucumber, melon, etc. When sowing
.he seeds of cucumber or melon, it is best
o cut pieces Of turf three or four inches
square, and turn it bottom up in the soil,
md put three or four seeds on each piece;
hese can then be transpanted without dis
urbing the roots. When the seeds make
heir appearances above ground, give some
'ir, in moderate weather, by raising the
lights two or three inches at the back, and
IS the plants increase in growth, increase
he supply Of air TO prevent them from be-
ne drawn up. When the sun gets pretty
lot, a light shade, or paper, or thin cloth
hould be laid over the sash, at midday
some persons give the glass Il thin coat of
If the frame is much expos
d to the wind, the side so exposed should
re protected, and if severe cold nights or
lays come, then Il covering of mats or
traw should be given.
Some count it policy TO transplant at once
nto Il cold frame, ere placing the plants
n the open air To make this cold frame
is only necessary TO place frame upon
he level ground, bank up IL few inches
round the outside, make the soil inside
eep and rich, place the sash over it, and
l Il few days the earth there will be warm,
nd plants from the hot-bed can be trans
lanted or fresh seeds sown for later
lanting in the open ground.-E r. T., in
Massachusetts, POughnaan.