Middletown transcript., 1899-03-18
MAKING A HOTBED.
how to Ferment the Manure ana
Build Up the Bed.

How to Ferment the Manure ana
Build Up the Bed.
Most farmers and small gardeners
depend almost entirely in heating not
beds upon the heat developed by pile
Of fermenting manure beneath the Deds.
Upon the proper preparation OF TINS tne
success of the whole enterprise VIII
largely depend. and lack Of attention
to details will insure failure at the out
set. For this reason instructions orig
inally given in a popular way by the
Kansas station may well be repeated
here:
Good horse stable manure, with not
too much straw or litter, is the pest
material. It should not be fire fanged
or burned out or it develops only
very mild heat
About the last of February or LIST or
March for northern Kansas or earlier
according to locality, pile OF manure
sufficient in quantity to make bed 10
inches deep under the sash to be used
should be hauled to the place needed,
forked over evenly, any dry portions be-
ing wetted well, and built up into a
compact mound. After week or ten
days the steaming of this pile will in
dicate that fermentation is well under
way. when it should be thoroughly
forked over into another pile, pitching
the outer portions of the first toward
the center of the second, again wetting
all portions that are dry and making
all Of as even consistency as possible.
By another week it will again be in Q
strong fermentation and ready to build
into the final bed.
Some prefer to dig pit of the area
Of the frames to be used, into which
the manure is packed. This is more
protected from the cold, and if the beds
can be left in the same place year after
wear it is a good plan. Others prefer to
build the bed on the surface Of the
ground, in which case it should be a
| foot beyond the area of the frame on
all sides. On the care and skill with
which this final building up of the ma
nure bed is done much Of the success OF
the undertaking depends. The material
should be carefully shaken over, made
Of even texture throughout, well mois,
tened and thoroughly and evenly tramp.
ed down. Evenness of settling and
evenness of heat both depend upon the
care with which these instructions are
followed.
| The frames are next put on, about
five inches Of fine, rich garden loan
filed In and the sash put in place. Th'
frames should be well banked around
| with strawy manure to keep out tn
cold. A thermometer in the soil shoult
be watched, and the heat in few day
| will often be noticed to have run up T.
| 100 degrees. Not until it drops to 8
degrees should seeds be sown, or tn
young plants will surely bs burned out
Of the scope of work that may b
done with these hotbeds only a fev
things need be mentioned here. Radis
and lettuce for early use will be amon
the first things sown, seeds OF earl
cabbage and caulifower and later 9
tomatoes and eggplant. Early Frame
Early White Spine cucumbers may 3
started in small fats or berry boxes, t
be transplanted into cooler frames latel
One who is provided with number
sash need not start all Of them as hot
beds. AS soon as cabbage and caulifov
er are large enough they should b
transplanted into cold frames, whic
are simply the same frames filed wit
X soil without heat below, and manage
as cool as possible, SO as to get hare
firm plants to set in the open GROUND
These are only few hints as to whs
may be done with a lot Of sash.