Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-02-26


To secure maximum returns in en-
joyment or profit from the farm gar
den or truck patch, hot-beds and cold
frames should be used for starting
early radishes, lettuce, onions, cab
bage, eaulifiower, celery, tomatoes,
egg plants, peppers, cucumbers or
melons. Their cost in labor and mon
ey Is SO slight that they should be a
part of the equipment on every up-to-
date farm. Hot-bed sash may be
bought from any large seed house,
glazed, for from $500 up, the standard
size being 6x3 feet. The farm wood
lot should furnish the lumber for the
frames. These should be placed on a
well drained spot, convenient to the
garden and sheltered from the, north
and west winds.
To construct hot-bed proceed as
felloWs: Dig a pit running east and
west about one and half to two feet
deep, of the same width and length Of
the frame to be constructed Line the
sides and ends with inch and half
plank, nailed to locust or chestnut
stakes. If the ground is level the
frame should extend twelve inches
above ground on the north side and
six inches on the south side to give
proper slope to the glass. Cross bars
of one by three inch material should
be placed at intervals to insure prop
er stiffness of the frame
A week or so before the hot-bed is
to be used, fresh horse manure con
tanning about one-third its bulk of
straw should be piled near the frame,
and allowed to heat. The pile
should be turned occasionally to pre-
vent fire fanging" and to distribute
the heat evenly throughout the, pile.
After turning two or three times the
manure should be spread evenly in
the pit and tramped compactly, espe-
cially in the corners and along the
sides, until it Is within two or three
inches of the level of the ground In
sert thermometer in the manure,
place the sash on the frame and bank
up around the outside of the frame
with the balance of the manure. The
manure in the frame will begin to heat
again, the temperature rising in many
cases to-100 to 120 degrees F. When
1t begins to subside, spread about four
inches of good garden loan on top Of
the manure and in a day or two the
bed will be ready to receive the seed.
A cold frame is similar to the hot
bed in construction except that it is
placed on top Of the ground. 1t may
be constructed of one inch boards
twelve inches wide for the north side
and six inches wide for the south side.
1t is most commonly used for harden
Ing of plants which have been started
In the hot-bed, previous to transplant
ing in the field, although in the warm
er sections of the state it may be used
for starting the plants and in some
cases for carrying them to maturity.
Cheese cloth or plant cloth may be
used as covering for the cold frame
instead Of glass for such plants as will
Eoccupy the frames after danger of
heavy frostss is past. It is well to have
at hand some old blankets, burlap
bags. or straw, which may be thrown
over the sash at night to. protect from
the GOLD.
The seeds may be soWn. directly in
| the soil over the manure, or in shallow
boxes called "fats," several of which
lean be made out of a soap box OF
cracker box obtained from the local
grocery. II the latter are used, two
inches of soil will be SUFFICIENT cover
ing for the manure. BY using them
the planting and transplanting may be
done under cover in weather that
would make it impossible out of doors
| In the frame.
In either case the seed-bed should
be made firm and level, and the seed
soWn In drills about two inches apart