Middletown transcript., 1896-03-14
THE FARM HoTBED

There Are Two Plans For Making 1t.
Hints Concerning Its Management.
It costs SO little to make and manage
hotbed largo enough to raise all the
plants needed that it will be found good
economy to have one. Ono Of the i'm
portant items in a really good garden is
to have a good supply of vegetables
sarly. One of the easiest and best ways
of doing this is to grow them in q hot
bed. One good advantage in growing
them over purchasing is that with lit
tie care there is certain to be a full sup
ply ON hand when the farmer can find
it most convenient to sot them out
In making hotbed the place selected
should be one that can be readily drain
ed There are two plans that can be fol-
lowed. One is to dig pit and put the
whole bed On q level with the ground.
The other is to put the bed nearly or
quite above the ground. If made carly,
especially if the selection is one that
admits Of good drainage, digging pit
is rather the best, as more even temper
allure can be secured, and as the tt-- l1r-
ature is usually very changeable il The
spring this is often quite an item.
Dig the pit TO 6 feet wide and as
long as may be necessary. 1t should be
80 inches deep; then put good layer Of
straw in the bottom and up the sides
about two feet. Then put in the manure.
This should be fresh from the horse sta
bles. It will be better if there is good
deal Of litter like straw or leaves mixed
with the manure. Spread it evenly and
tramp it down we'll so that in settling
the whole bed will settle evenly. Put
in about 2 feet Of the manure, and
over the top Of this put layer of about
a inches of rich, loamy soil. This.
with the straw, ought to bring the bed
little above the surface. Bank up
around the bed with soil or set boards
ON edge. driving stakes to hold them in
place. One side should be made higher
than the other, SO that when covered
with boards the water will be kept out.
Cover the bed over carefully when
completed and let it stand three or four
days before sowing the seed. Be sure to
have the soil fine. Mark it out in drills,
for even In the hotbed it is more eco
nomical of space to sow the seed in
drills, pressing the soil down upon the
seed after covering. Whenever the sun
shines out warm, open the bed, but
cover closely at night and on rainy or
cold, cloudy days. IF it is necessary to
water the plants, use water that is milk
warm, and remember that one thorough
wetting of the soil is more beneficial
than half a dozen sprinklings. If the
season is late and the bed gets cold, take
a sharpened broom handle and make
holes down as deep as you can, 6 to 10
inches apart, all over the bed, and fill
them with scalded bran, pouring 1t
while warm, and cover the top Of each
with little earth.
IF surface bed is made, take off or
inches Of the soil, put down a layer Of
straw around this, set up good. wide
planks, drive down stout stakes to hold
the planks in place. Then put in the
manure and over this a layer Of soil and
cover the came as before. It will be a
little better if the bed is banked up
some On the outside.
A bed feet wide and feet long will
supply all the plants ordinarily needed,
says the author Of the foregoing, which
was originally written for the st. Louis
Republic.
Laying Tile.
Tile can be drawn when teams are
idle, and the work can be done by the
owner Of the farm or his regular help.
If there is any doubt about the grade
and outlet, Farm and Fireside advises
the employment of a surveyor. He will
establish the grade, putting pegs every
100 feet, and then there is no doubt
about the matter. With breaking plow,
make furrow where the drain should
be, grading the bottom Of furrow as
well as possible. After the first rain
run the plow in the same furrow, cut
ting out the high places. This work
saves throwing out that much earth with
shovel. The earth in the bottom of fur
row will not freeze hard in the winter,
and not at all if snow falls, and as other
work gives time the trenches can be
dug and the tile laid.