Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-24
{9atIu Kennehsr 5onrnaI.
Heating HOt-beds by Steam.

OF February, in company with several ex-
perienced gardeners. the large farm of
J. H. Budlong & Son. near Providence,
R. /. The chief object of interest in the
visit was to see the result of their enter
prise in experimenting with the application
] of steam to the heating of hot-beds. Last
/ winter they made some experiments in a
/ small way, which resulted so we'll that
they embarked last fall, in large appli-
cation of the principle, using two boilers
/ of 5O-horse power each, and carrying the
steam pipes under beds covered by 1900
sashes.
/ The boilers are OF the upright. tubular
pattern, and stand in brick building with
tall chimney just north Of the ranges OF
beds, and about midway in the length of
| the same. The main steam pipe is car
ried just above ground across the beds
and through the fences which shelter
them from the north wind. Each fence
has over 200 sashes on the south side of
it. the steam pipes branching each way
from the main pipe as it crosses the beds.
The branches on either hand are over 800
feet long from the main; the branch pipes
are ordinary one-inch steam pipe; they
are carried under ground three feet deep
from the glass, one on each side OF the
bed. one six inches inside the south side
of the frame, the other foot inside the
north side of the frame. The frame is of
double hemock boarding, with an air
space of an inch between the boards and
is carried tour ieet deep from the glass,
to retain the heat from escaping from the
bed sidewise.
BY an ingenious arrangement of the
vol ba cta ha ada 70 ri Lot a
in either direction through these pipes.
The condensed water is carried back to the
boiler room by system OF returning pipes,
which all empty into tank IN the boiler
room, where an ingenious automatic ar
rangement pumps the condensed water
back into the boilers. The boilers are run
at about 30-pounds pressure to the inch,
and there is no difficulty experienced in
making the steam circulate through any
or all of the pipes whenever it is required.
The beds are covered with the ordinary
hot-bed sash and mats, shutters being only
used in windy weather to keep the mats in
place.
AS tor the success of the experiment, it
is rather early to say definitely, what it
will be. The lettuce already marketed
from these beds. as Mr.. Budlong informed
us. was not very good in quality, having
suffered badly from mildew and other
causes; what is now growing. however,
looks very well. and with fair weather.
will no doubt prove good crop. The
danger seems to be quite as much from
overwhelming as from not enough heat.
The steam is not applied all the time,
about eight hours in twenty -fonr being
found enough in ordinary weather. The
effect of the steam is not felt Immediately
upon the large mass of loan over the
pipes, and the beds will hold their heat a
long time after the steam is shut Off-thev
do not run steam by night.
The economy of this arrangement is not
very apparent. There is large outlay
tor lumber in boarding the sides of the
beds tour feet deep with double boarding,
which will rapidly decay in the moist
earth. The outlay for coal, and interest
on cost of boilers. etc, is also consldera-
BILE. and the expense of keeping the pipes
in order has proved considerable, still the
Messrs. Budlong are hopeful of ultimate
success, which they certainly deserve for
their great enterprise and courage Their
enterprise is by no means confined to this
experiment. They run in the old fashioned
| y
sides four large greenhouses used for
growing plants to supply these beds. The
lettuce in these beds is of remarkably uni
form excellence. 1t is nearly all shipped
to New York market by steamboat.
Three hundred barrels in a week is no
unusual consignment, each barrel holding
about eight dozen. The manure to run
these beds is much of it brought from
Boston by railroad at considerable ex.
pense. The glass is used in the spring
for growing cucumbers and melons. but
the enterprise of the Budlongs is not con-
fined to the use of glass in winter and
spring. They are very large and enter
prisng farmers, raising large quantities
of vegetables, which are marketed with
great skill in Providence, Worcester, Fall
River and Boston. Among their crops
the last year, were forty acres of early
peas, followed on the same land bv Swed-
ish turnips; these peas were planted by a
home made drill, run by horse power,
sowing three rows at once with great
accuracy, and were cultivated entirely by
horse power. with no hand hoeing, and
were kept clean. Such work as this shows
an amount of method and skill that would
insure success anywhere.
Another leading crop is cucumber
pickles. Only 65 acres were raised last
year. but they expect to continue increas-
ing this product as they have done contn-
uously for 35 years. The tanks and els.
terms for storing this crop, and the ar
engagements for preparing it for market
are very elaborate and extensive, and
show remarkable energy and enterprise
Other crops of less importance, are sweet
corn. tomatoes. peppers, etc, etc. A
large wooden tank with copper bottom set
over fire box for wood fire, serves to
boil down the tomatoes into catsup when
they are too cheap TO be marketed profit
ably. The catsup is barreled. and after
wards put up in attractive shape for sale
in bottles.
The force employed to do all this bust.
ness is of course large. Forty horses are
kept. and in summer. six yoke of oxen.
besides. The force of men is about 60 in