New Iberia enterprise and independent observer., 1915-01-23
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ITEMS.
BY A. G.. Bernard. Secty-Mgr.


ready for starting the early an
very delicate Spring plants, Sue
as Tomatoes, Egg-Plants, Be
Peppers, etc. The man who use
a hot bed always gets his flui
: in the market first. There il
danger of course in planting to-
early in a hot bed, especially
one is inexperienced, for plant
will become splindly if kept in
hot bed too long after they are up
j The size of the hotbed is lef
to the individual. For the ordi
nary garden a bed three and {
half feet wide by ten and hal
feet long is usually sufficient.
! Select spot of ground as much
protected as possible but where
the sun shines and build with
the back to the North. Have the
back or North side from eight to
twlve inches higher than the
front or South side. In the South
the source of heat for a hotbed
is gotten from fermenting green
manEre. 1t is important that
fermentation be started through
out the entire bed at the same
time. The manure should CON
tain a good percentage of straw,
and stirred around thoroughly
with fork and water added to
assist the fermentation When
a uniform fermentation has start
ed, your manure is ready for tac
rot bed.
Dig a pit rom eighteen in hes
to two Or tive and hall feet
deep, put on3 layer OF manure
and straw and rack thoroughly,
:hen another l.yer and lack
again, and when the desired
amount is placed in the pit, put
your covering Of good sandy
loan, rich, but not to rich, about
six inches thick and allow to
stand for fewdays. At the end
of this time you can pull out the
weeds that have come out and
besides all rank heat will have ,
disappeared. You are now ready |
to SOW your seeds. For a bed the
size of the above dimensions,
three sashes, three and half by
three and half will be needed,
some who have no sashes use
white unbleached cloth, but this
is not near as satisfactory, and
sashes should be used where pos
sible. 1t is important that the
bedding be well packed for the
reason that when it starts packing
naturally, the distance between
the sash and the top soil inside
will be greatly increased and
your plants will finally be too
deep in the frame and the result ,
will be spindly plants. A well
prepared hot bed will produce
neat from six to eight weeks, but
care must be exercised in the
ohave a uniform
fermentation so as to maintain
his heat. Again when the plants
ire up and the cold weather con-
inues, but the plants inside are
growing rapidly, it will be well
% allow a certain amount Of cool
lir in the frame to prevent them
growing too fast, and to make
hem harder and lessen the dan
ger of having splindly plants.
There is a lot to observe about
lot bed and when one is started !
he owner willsee from day to
lay the necessity for observing
'ertain rules.
When the temperature in the
rame reaches 70 degrees Farhen- s
leit, lift one Of the sashes and
lace a block under it SO as to
'entilate. On hot days the
ashes should be entirely lifted I
r removed as it doesn't take
ong for the heat from the manure
nd the heat from the sun to put
he temperature entirely too high. y
will be found advisable to
lace a ridge Of dirt all around
ne frame on the outside.
On account of the moisture in T
outh Louisiana, some use the
Ian Of making the hot bed above
round, i. e., pilling and packing
le manure some eighteen inches
Ugh allowing about two feet to
roject on every side and pacing
le frame thereon. There is
ood deal Of merit in this plan,
) it also avoids the danger of 7
le bed sinking too low for. the
w Of the frame, but I have al
avs l1Sed the nit method and