The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-03-15
EASILY MADE H0TBED
Many Little Details Go Far
Towards Making Success.
Much Care Is Necessary in Preparing
Soll-No Set Rule Can Be APP.
piled to Manure on Account
Of It's Composition.
tBy pEMAR.1

- AA1ANAA
At the very first stirring Of the
zap 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 | feel the first hint Of spring
start my hotbed. This | fashioned
out OF an old glass cupboard door,
some old boards, a saw, hammer and
nails. Critics may find fault with 1t
but as 1t has been a decided success
do not mind the verdict OF the crit
les. Utility, not beauty, la my aim.
The glass cover had done duty as a
cupboard door for many years and
when the house was r%emodeled 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 - inches; the glass
frame Is fastened to the back with
hinges. An excavation was dug and
the frame placed upon 1t. The ex
cayatton 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 Il.
The bed Is located south of the
summer kitchen, a well-drained spot
where 1t will get the sun all day.
The earth Is banked around the
frame and a ditch carries all the sur
face water away. In the meantime
the heat material was prepared. This
was h~orse-manure gathered from the
stalls each day and put In a o
shaped pile,
One-third leaves were added to as.
the manure to "~sweeten." Manure
alone Is too dense and will not fer
ment properly unless leaves, straw or
sort Of litter Ia added.
As soon as the pile looked large
enough to fill the frame it was allowed
to ferment evenly. When the mass
was moist and steaming 1t was put
into the hotbed.
It Is impossible to give any hard
and fast rule in preparing manure for
he hotbeds, for SO much depends upon
he composition and texture of the
and the state of the weather.
1t Is safe to say, however. that the
pile must be worked over several
lines and when 1t Is moist and warm
t Is ready for the frame.
In the bottom OF the excavation II
place a thin layer OF cornstalks
a foot long, for protection against
he cold earth. When the is
In 1t nearly reaches the top OF the
ioil; then 1t Ia well tamped, and after
amping, 1t should reach within ten
inches OF the top of the frame in
ront.
AS a usual thing eight inches OF
thoroughly prepared manure will heat
spring hotbed. The bed is then Gov
red 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.
# let down and the bed allowed to
leat. a thermometer placed in II and
when 1t registers So degrees the seeds
re sown.
The amateur will want to SOW seeds
when the bed Is entirely too hot, but
make haste slowly Is a good policy
n this case.
Before sowing the seeds rake the
oil to destroy the weed-seeds which
rave %sprouted. Sow such seeds az
omato, cabbage. lettuce, peppers, etc.
tut be sure to reserve several rows
or your fower-seeds. Make the rows
north and south. Water the bed
With a sprinkler having a very fne
The little seedlings are very delicate
md care must be taken not to bake,
tarVe or chill them. Too much heat Ia
worse than too little, therefore, 1t Ia
necessary to air the hotbed by open.
ng the frame when the sun shines
nd the weather is warm.
Water with q fine hose when the
looks light in color and Is dry to
he touch. Thin ont the plants IL they
tand too thiokly In the row.
When the plants have attained two
n three true leaves they must be