New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1893-03-15
THE AGRlGULTU WORLD
HINTS FOR INDUS.
TRiOUS FARMERS.
Some Suggestions For Starting
Early Plants--The Medium Hog
s--Consult the Soil--Protec-
ton Against the Rats
Items Of Interest.
For starting EARLY Plants.

For Starting EARLY Plants.
II one does not have a propagating
house he need not on that account go
without early plants. for box in the
house or an easily constructed hotbed
will answer the purpose very satisfact-
orily. Indeed many truck gardeners
who raise a considerable variety of
early vegetables, never have anything
more costly than the simplest kind Of
hotbeds.
The early starting of plants in this
way prcsNppOses that it was thought
of and provided for before winter set
In. 1t would not he easy, in most cases,
to obtain, the proper kind Of soil or
compost at this season of the year.
and IT no preparation has been made
the plant must be laid aside, unless
some one else, more provldent, can sup
ply the necessary soil
A good, light, sandy loam-the richer
and lighter the better-makes a good
enough soil. Before using it should be
run through a sieve, so as to remove
all stones, Jumps and rubbish A table
spoonful of superphosphate to each half
bushel Of soil may be added to adj
vantage, and five or six quarts of peat
moss, or sphagnum, such as nursery
men use for packing, thoroughly dried
and sifted, to the half bushel of soil
makes an excellent material for start
ing seeds.
:. If it is thought too much labor to
make hotbeds, boxes about thirty
inches long, twelve inches wide and
three inches. Deep. made of half-inch
vNo 81, 41>~ NJ
may be placed on a flower stand or on
the window SILL where they should be
so secure that they will not be knocked
of. Where a large number of plants
is not required, these boxes are all
that are necessary, and they are a
source of pleasure and instruction, as
Well as of mere utility, especially if
there are children in the family old
enough to observe and assist
A hotbed should. if possible, be placed
on the south side of a fence or build
ing, where it will be protected from the
severe winds. and at the same time re-
ceive the full benefit of the suns rays.
There are two ways of making it. One
Is to place fermenting manure on the
surface of the ground, taking care to
build it up in an even, solid mass, with
the long and short manure equally
distributed, until it is from two feet
to thirty inches high. 1t should be
about two feet longer and wider than
the frame of the hotbed, as the center
will be hotter than the outside of the
mass Another method is to dig a pit
two feet longer md wider than the
frame, fill it with the manure and
tread it down evenly and sohdly.
A convenient size for the sash is SxG
feet. The frames should be made of
two-inch plank, the back twelve and
the front eight inches wide, which al
lows sufficient slone to carry off water
from the sash. The sides should, of
course, be planed down to fit the two
ends, and the back and front pieces
bevelel off, so that the sash will fit
closely at the ends and sides. A single
brace across the middle Of the frame,
the short way, is enough to make it
firm, if two-inch lumber is used
The soil may be put into the frame
as sooD as. it is in place. Six or eight
inches of soil is better than q shallower
bed, rs when once heated through it
will retain the heat longer. and the
plants will be less likely to burn than
if in closer contact with the hot man.
ure. Seeds should not be sown for at
least week after the beds begin to
le,,' NAe',nIiHe JIG Weeus anu grass
will sprout and may be removed be-
fore the seed is put in.
A good deal of care and experience
IS required to regulate a hotbed. 1t
must be guarded against both heat and
cold and overheating- former by
covering with boards or mats at night,
the latter by proper ventilation when
the sun shines brightly. But it will
repay all the trouble it costs if success
fully managed.