Tensas gazette., 1912-04-05
EASILY MADE HOTBED
Many Little Details Go Far
Towards Making Success.
Much Care is Necessary In Preparing
solI-No Set Rule Can Be Ap-
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 60 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
l start my hotbed. This I fashioned
out Of an old glass cupboard door.
some old boards, a saw, hammer and
nails. Critics may find fault with It
but as 1t has been a decided success
do not mind the verdict Of the crit
ics. Utility. not beauty. is my aim.
The glass cover had done duty as q
cupboard door for many years and
when the house was remodeled it was
consigned to the attic until 1t was
pressed into its 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 it. The ex-
cavation Is eight or ten inches deeper
4 han 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 It.
The bed is located south Of the
summer kitchen. a welldrained spot
where 1t 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-manure 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 I'LL 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.
It Is safe to say, however, that the
pile must be worked over several
times and when 1t is moist and warm
1t is ready for the frame.
In the bottom Of the excavation I
always place a thin layer Of cornstalks
cut foot long, for protection against
the cold earth. When the manure is
rut in II nearly reaches the top Of the
soil: then It is well tamped. and after
tamping. II 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
a spring hotbed. The bed is then Gov
cred with the glass door and left to
itself for a few days.
Then five inches Of fine. rich, we'll
prepared soil is added; again the Gov
er let down and the bed allowed to
heat. a thermometer placed in It and
when It registers IS degrees the seeds
are sown.
The amateur win want to SOW seeds
when the bed is entirely too hot, but
make haste slowly is a good policy
In this case.
Before sowing the seeds rake the
soil to destroy the weedseeds which
have sprouted. Sow such seeds as
tomato. cabbage, lettuce, peppers, etc..
but be sure to reserve several rows
for your fowerseeds Make the rows
run north and south. Water the bed
with a sprinkler having a very fine
nozzle
The little seedlings are very delicate
and care must be taken not to bake,
starve or chill them. Too much heat is
worse than too little, therefore. II is
necessary to air the hotbed by open
ing the frame when the sun shines
and the weather is warm.
Wster with fine hose when the
soil looks light in color and is dry to
the touch. Thin out the plants If they
stand too thickly in the row.
When the plants have attained two
or three true leaves thew must ha