Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-04-13
AGRICULTURAL.
Column Devoted to the Inter
ests of the Farmer.
FOR STARTING EARLY PLANTS
A Good Deal of Care and Expert
ence Required to Regulate
a Hotbed-Notes.

II one does not have propagating
house, he need not on that account 60
without early plants, for box IN the
house or an easily constructed hotbed
will answer the purpose very satlstacto-
rilv. Indeed many truck gardeners who
raise considerable variety OF early veg
etables never have anything more costly
than the simplest kind of hotbeds. The
early starting of plants in this way pre-
supposes that it was thought of and pro-
vided for before winter set in. 1t would
not be easy in most cases to obtain the
proper kind of soil or compost at this
season of the !year, and if no prepara-
ton has been made, the plant must be
laid aside, unless some one else more
provident can supply 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 througL / 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 advant-
age, and five or six quarts of peat moss
or sphagnum, such as nursery men use
for packing, thoroughly dried and sifted,
10 the half bushel Of soil make an excel
lent material for starting 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 stuff, may be used in the
house. These may be placed on flower
stand or on the window sill, where they
should be so secure that they will not be
knocked off. Where large number OF
plants is not required, these boxes are
all that are necessary, and they are
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
fence or building, where it will be pro-
tected from the severe winds and at the
same time receive the full benefit of the
suns rays. There are two ways of max
ing it. One is to place fermeIting ma
nure on the surface of the ground, TAX
ing 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 pit two feet
longer and wider than the frame, fill it
with the manure and tread it down
evenly and solidly. A convenient size
for the sash is 3x6 feet. The frames
should be made OF two-inch plank, the
back twelve and the front eight inches
wide, which allows sufficient slope to
carry off water from the sash. The sides
should, of course, be planed down to Al
the two ends, and the back and front
pieces beveled off, SO that the sash will
tit closely at the ends and sides. A sim
gle brace across the middle OF the frame,
the short way, is enough to make it firm
II two-inch lumber is used. The soil
may be put into the frame as soon as il
is in place. Six or eight inches OF soil is
better than shallower bed, as when
once heated through it will retain the
heat longer, and the plants will be less
likely to burn than il in closer contact
with the hot manure. Seeds should not
be sown for at least week after the beds
begin to heat. Meantime the weeds and
grass will sprout, and may be re-
moved before the seed is put in. A good
deal OF care and experience is required
to regulate hotbed. 1t must be guarded
against both heat and cold and overhead.
ing-the 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
ii successfully managed.
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Try high feeding with old Brindle.
There have been some remarkable
yields by very common cows.
A good horse can no more stand or
bad feet than good house can stand on
bad foundation.
Perhaps your old Brindle has neve,
had full ration in her life. Not that
she has not been experimental with to
find out how much she could eat.
II you have a COW that always excels
the others in yield breed her to a pure.
bred dairy bull, and il she has a heifer
calf treat that calf better than you ever
treated calf before.
In feeding COW we must go about il
cautiously; not stuff her with all she
can eat the first week, but train her an
petite and digestion by gradually in.
creasing the amount fed.
1t is difficult matter to doctor sick
animals. 1t is comparatively easy to
keep them well by giving good food,
pure water and clean quarters. These
matters should have attention.
Pound for pound chicken can he
grown cheaper than pork, and who will
say the boiled chicken is not more crate.
ful and healthy than the salt pork and
corned beef everlastingly found on far.
mers' tables?
Ihere are some very prepotent good
cows among the scrubs; they transmit
their good qualities to their calves in
spite of the scrub bull by which thev IRE
served. These cows should be tested by
high feeding.
Farmers desiring to improve the dairy
qualities OF their cows without decreas.
ing. size so much as the use of Jersey
bulls would should try the Guernseys
The bulls OF this breed often exceed
1000 pounds in weight.
Grain may be thrown into a litter nj,
clean straw or hay for the fowls 10
scratch for 1t, but no food, hard or soft
should be put where the ground or litter
is dirty. II is not wholesome for the
hens, and may prove detrimental 10 hu.
man beings who may partake of thei,
flesh. '''e"
Kansas has always prided herself on
being great wheat State. but il Is said
that her poultry product sells for more
than all her wheat. H. however. thing,