Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-12
HOW TO MAKE THE HOTBED

A hotbed. even of small size, in which
to grow plants to be set out later in
the garden, to almost a necessity for the
gardener who wishes to know exactly
| what he grows in his garden. One may
buy plants of tomatoes, peppers, cab
bages, etc, without the trouble and ex-
pense of growing them; but if special
varieties favorites of the gardener. are
desired, about the only way to be GER
tain of having them is to grow them,
either in flats or pots in the house
rather an unsatisfactory manner-or in
a hotbed.
Sashes for hotbeds that are fitted with
double gass. while they cost somewhat
more than the ordinary sashes. are by
far the most satisfactory. By their use
the necessity for using mats in cold
weather or on cold nights is avoided.
it being impossible further. for forget
fulness on the part of the gardener to
use the mats when occasion requires, to
result in freezing and consequent loss
of plants.
In making the hotbed. first excavate
a place of desired size, removing the
Construct around the excavation frame
of rough board. using the six-inch or
eight-inch width. This frame may be
i! banked up all around with the soil re-
| the bed should be from east to west.
and the back of the frame should be
three or four inches higher than the
front, the bed facing south. The bed,
sash or sashes cover it closely.
Fill the pit to the depth of a foot
| with fresh horse manure, not too
strawy, treading the manure down firm
| ly. The manure should have been allowed
! to ferment in a heap before it is placed
| in the pit When piled up thermom-
| eter must be inserted in the heap, and
| when the temperature as shown by the
| thermometer has gone down to about
| 100 degrees the material is to be packed
| firmly into the pit. Cover it with six
! inches of good, mellow garden soil and
! again thrust the thermometer through
| the top soil and into the manure. When
| the temperature is about ninety degrees
the seed may be sown. The manure
| supplies the heat. which is retained by
the double-glassed sashes and aided by
| the heat of the sun.
One of the most convenient small
| hotbeds the writer has ever seen was
i made without the use of the manure.
| The bed was built at the south side of
| the house. near cellar window.
| Through the window a loop of pipe
was run from the hot water plant that
| heated the house, this loop being buried
about six inches below the surface of
| the soil in the bed and running around
| both sides and one end of the bed.
| Hot water was admitted to the loop
| by means of a cock. and 1t was possible
, thus to- regulate the heat according to
| requirements.
| The surface soil of the hotbed must
| be as rich. fine and mellow as possible.
| II well rotted COW manure is available
| for use in fertilizing the soil nothing
better cah be found.
In planting the seed it is well to
| mark off the rows very lightly and to
SOW the seed practically on top of the
! ground. covering them by shaking over
| them finely pulverized soil through a
| garden seive Then firm the soil down
| well SO as to bring the seeds in close
contact with the earth, give the top a
! moderate sprinkling and await devel-
opments.
| On very warm. sunny days the sash
should be raised at the lower side to
permit the access of air and to lower
the temperature, otherwise the plants
are likely to be burned. AS the season
advances the sash may be kept up for
longer periods. always being careful to
lower 1t at night.
| Do not use water too literally.
Sprinkle only enough to keep the soil
sufficiently moist to insure proper
growth of the plants. AS the latter
grow and the time approaches for get
ting them out in the garden the bed