Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-05-12
MAKING A HoTBED.
BY L. 6. Schermerhorn, Mon
tara Agricultural College.

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c. o. S., Helena. Mont. inquiries:
GLOW should !, small hotbed be mac e,
and about what would it cost?'
Rcn,l: a common type of hotbed
Is one six feet long and three feet
wide; if q larger area is desired.
frame twelve feet long and six feet
wide may he employed and is covered
with four 3x6 sashes. A cheap method
OF constructing a frame is to use ordi-
nary lumber. Ii the bed is to be used
year after year it will be cheaper in
the end to make it of two-inch stuff
and Join the various parts with lemons
SO that they may be taken apart and
stored until needed again. Sometimes
bed Is made by simply driving
stakes into the ground to hold the
larts together.
The depth of the he'd will depend
upon the kind of plants to be grown.
The back Of the bed should be about
one-half higher than the front. so that
the water will drain off the glass and
to allow proper lighting. Hotbeds are
sometimes set ON top of pile of fer
menting manure. The manure should
extend beyond the edges of the bed so
as to protect the outside from the
cold. 1t is more desirable to have a
pit under the bed in which to place
the manure. The pit should be about
one foot wider upon either side than
tho II idth <>f th0 FREQ MI,
four to thirty inches deep, and pro-
vfded with good drainage.
III making up the hotbed fresh horse
manure Of uniform age. texture and
composition should be used and should
contain about one-half litter. prefer
ably straw. which prevents the ma
nure from packing soggy: it should
be hpringy when tramped upon. II
fresh manure cannot be obtained at
home 1t can generally be secured from
a livery stable. Manure from highly
fed horses is better than that obtained
from other animals.
In preparing manure for the hotbed
1t should be piled in rectangular.
flat-topped pile. not over four or five
feet high, and of any desired width or
length. II heating does not start read.
ily on account of poor manure or cold
weather little hen manure intro.
ducnd into some part of the pile will
start heating. If this is not available
hot water will sometimes produce the
same effect. To prevent burning and
to secure uniform heating of the
manure it should be turned several
times at intervals of two or three days.
First place two or three inches of
litter. leaves or straw in the bottom
OF the pit to keep the manure off the
cold ground. Then place twelve 10
eighteen inches of fermenting manure
in the pit and above this two to six
inches of garden loan. depending up.
on what is to be placed in the hotbed.
The best results are secured by plac.
ing the manure in the pit in small lay
ers and tramping each one well before
another is put in. In this way the ma.
nu'e is more uniformly packed
After the soil is placed in the bed
the sash is put on and the bed allowed
to heat. At first the temperature will
run high. but in a few days it will be.
gin to fall and the plants or seeds may
be put in the bed when the proper
point is reached. When the tempera.
ture is between so and 80 degrees
seeds and plants like the tomato may
be put in; when il drops to between
20 and so degrees seeds Of plants re.
curing a cooler temperature, like let
tuce. may be put In.
The cost of making a hotbed or
frame will depend upon the material
used. the cost of manure at market
price and the kind of sash used. 4
general estimate Of the cost Of we'll
made. mortised frame is between $:
and S. A sash uagla:ed costs from
$3.50 to $2.65. depending upon the
make. Glazing costs about IS cents
to 81 and shutters and mats will cost
from so cents to 81 per sash. depend.
Elg upon t.e material used