The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-03-26
USING THE HOTRED.
BY j. ". Griffin.

The hotbed is q very important part
or a Tell-kept garden. II Ieng1hers
season il which we may supply
our tables with fresh vegetables.
A bed that IS y feet long and s
feet wide, Will four
reguiar-sized sashes. 3x6 feet. In this
heu We have As squares Of pace
"nich IS sufficient TO grow the plants
Tor a good-sized garden. A garden.
three or -four hotbeds and some cold
frames is a good start toward sue
cessful truck farming.
The best location for. the hotbcd IS
on he south side of the building. q
high. tight board fence, or one pro
tected by a heavy growth OF ever
freens for 2 Windbrake.
The site should be a little higher
than the surrounding surfaee-sa that
good drainage ma be secured Make
an excavation a little wider and a lit
] tie longer than the bed is TO BE-.
The inside dimensions Tor a bed s
feet wide and Il feet long. viii BE-
s feet 4 inches wide. and l. feet !
inches long. = excavation SHOULD
be about > feet deep. The opening
should be boarded up with 2-inen
stuff for keeping out mice and mOles.
Where possinle the beds should face
southeast, or directly east.
Tha back OF the frame should be
IL inches, and the front about 5
inches high. This gives sufficient Iall
for water from rains or SHOWS TO
dsain cif nicely, and the rays o. sun
shine viii haze better opuorthnltN To
get 1T the small seedlings.
The preparation of the n il
rot such a particular job as is gen
orally supposed, but che simple prin-
"ipie involved is not generally known.
: The yeast fungus, Waen once nitro
Lccd into = nanure-heap suitable 10
ts Development. spreads RAPIDLY, and
soon has the Whole III 4 STATE
OF heat.
H~orse-manure is the best. especial
~ when the horse has been fed on
rich foods. such as grain, bran, and
cii-meaI. The bulk Of the fatnuI"
should be uriDe-soaked straw; that
which has served IS beddin. III the
stalls. Iorest-ieaEes, when mixed IN
with straw. make a neat That IS most
powerful and lasting.
h manure ShoHlI be hauled di-
: rectly FROM the stalls to the beds. and
piled IN a conical heap, leaving it u1i-
til fermentation has set up.
Re1"re fermentation becomes too
l lively. which IS ascertainad - tbs
: esc.lning steam, the pile should bf
/ forked over into another part OF tht
lid!5C litt lF1t tilti .'iS ,oN' -
} steam is again noticeable, then
should be tramped into the fran'
l perfectly solid.
If the manure is very hot, tee so!
5 should be put on at once. but II no
the sash should be placed oyer III
G manure For a few days, until Z ma
nure is we'll heated. then the soil 81
: on.
The bed should be watched, and y
A soon as the seeds of weeds which AZ
in the sell begin TO come up all oEe
the bed. it is time to plant the gar
: den-seed.
J Do not neglect the ventilation, q
Q the bed will get Yer. warm on sunni
II DAYS. 1T which time the sash shout
be opened n little at the top, and D
careful that no direct draft reaeha
the tender plants.
A covering Of old carpet or mat
ting is good to place over the siLsI
e during cold nights. and during tn
day, when there is much sunshine
The frames should be closed bcfor
nigntfaIl. especially on cloudy after
e, Moons. and they should have faanilr
n banked up around them during tn
II cold spells.
e AS soon as the plants are two Q
# three inches tall. Ghev should b
e transplanted TO the coid-fram mes whic
g, are not unlike the hotbeds, cxceK
,r that they have no bottom heat. an
d are covered with muslin to keep Q