Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1912-03-29
EASILY MADE HOTBED
Many Little Details Go Far
towards Making Success.
Much Care is Necessary in Preparing
soiI--No Set Rule Can Be APP
piled to Manure on Account
of Its Composition.
CBy JOSEPHINE DEMAR.)


At the very first stirring of the
sap comes to most of us a longing to
see Dame Nature awake and go about
her spring business. We eagerly look
for the first signs of life in the naples
and in the sheltered recesses of the
woods under the dead leaves.
When l feel the first hint of spring
start my hotbed. This fashioned
out of an old glass cupboard door,
some old boards, saw, hammer and
nails. Critics may find fault with it
but as it has been decided success
do not mind the verdict of the crit
les. Utility, not beauty, is my aim.
The glass cover had done duty as
cupboard door for many years and
when the house was remodeled it was
consigned to the attic until it was
pressed into it's present state of USE
fulness.
The frame measures % inches high
at the back and slopes down the sides
to the front to IL inches; the glass
frame is fastened to the back with
hinges. An excavation was dug and
the frame placed upon 1t. The ex
cavation is eight or ten inches deeper
than the frame, and the frame stands
IL inches above the soil at the back,
and the front five inches. A stout
stake was driven in the four corners
of the frame to support 1t.
The bed is located south of the
summer kitchen, well-drained spot
where it will get the sun all day.
The earth is banked around the
frame and ditch carries all the sur
face water away. In the meantime
the heat material was prepared. This
was horse-nlanure gathered from the
stalls each day and put in cone
shaped pile.
One-third leaves were added to as
sist the manure to "sweeten." Manure
alone is too dense and will not fer
ment properly unless leaves, straw or
some sort of litter is added.
AS soon as the pile looked large
enough to fill the frame 1t was allowed
to ferment evenly. When the mass
was moist and steaming it was put
into the hotbed.
1t is impossible to give any hard
and fast rule in preparing manure for
the hotbeds, for so much depends upon
the composition and texture Of the
manure and the state of the weather.
1t is safe to say, however. that the
pile must be worked over several
times and when it is moist and warm
it is ready for the frame.
In the bottom Of the excavation /
always place thin layer of cornstalks
cut foot long, for protection against
the cold earth. When the manure is
nut in it nearly reaches the top of the
soil; then it is well tamped. and after
tamping. it should reach within ten
inches of the top of the frame in
front
AS a usual thing eight inches of
thoroughly prepared manure will heat
spring hotbed. The bed is then COW
cred with the glass door and left to
itself for few days.
Then five inches of fine, rich, we'll
prepared soil is added; again the COW
err let down and the bed allowed to
heat thermometer placed in it and
when it registers IS degrees the seeds
are sown.
The amateur will want to SOW seeds
when the bed is entirely 700 hot, but
make haste slowly is good policy
in this case.
Before sowing the seeds rake the
soil to destroy the weed-seeds which
have sprouted. Sow such seeds as
tomato, cabbage, lettuce, peppers, ETC..
but be sure to reserve several rows