Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-03-09
BIG PROFITS IN
EARLY HOT-BEDS
DO You Want Tomatoes in July?
Then the Seeds Must be
Planted in January
START The PLANTS EARLY
In the Great Tomato Growing Districts
of West Tennessee the Earliest Cars
Bring the Highest Prices-Plans to
Follow for Good Results.

(By Charles A. Keffer, Division of
Extension, University of Tennessee)
Do you want tomatoes in July?
Then plant the seed in a hot bed in
January; transplant in a hot bed in
February; transplant again in a spent
hotbed or a cold fame in March, and
set the twice-transplanted plants in
the field or the garden as soon as dan
ger of frost is past in April. In the
great majority of cases it is the early
plant that makes the big profit. Here
in Knoxville the first homegrown to-
matoes on the market have been
known to bring five dollars a bushel
land the grower sold several bushels
at that price,, willis the price went be-
low fifty cents a bushel when the full
crop was on. In the great tomato
growing districts of West Tennessee
the earliest cars bring the highest
prices. Start the plants early, and
keep them growing. To do this hot
bed is necessary. Hot bed sash are
three by six feet in size, and should
have three rows of glass per sash.
The bed should be six feet wide, aad
any times three feet in length, Its size
depending on the number Of plants
to be grown. For home garden
single sash will enable the gardener
to grow all early plants of every kind
needed, but a hot bed six to twelve
feet long will be found the best size for
the home garden. In the Southern
counties of the state, and for late
beds, frames covered with canvas or
heavy sheeting can be used in place
of glazed sash.
Excavate a pit eighteen to twenty
four inches deep, running east and
west, and make frame of boards to
fit, the frame being six inches higher
on the north than on the south side.
Place two-by-fours from front to rear
for the sash or canvas frames to rest
on. For regulation sash the supports
should be three feet apart on centers,
beveled.
For heating, either simple furnace,
with fiue running the length of the
frame, or horse manure Is used. The
manure should be turned from time to
time as collected, to prevent too rapid
heating and to secure even heating
throughout the mass. When ready to
make the bed, spread layer of ma
nure six inches deep in the bottom OF
the pit and tramp firm, and continue
until twelve to eighteen inches OF
tramped manure Is in place. Then
cover with five inches of rich, loamy
soil. Place the sash, and when the
highest heat is passed-in about a
week if conditions are favorable-the
bed will be ready for seeding. Sow
save abundant space for transplanting.
Radish may be grown in twenty days
in the hotbed. Use the Rapid Red or
Icicle variety and drop the seed about
three-quarters of an inch part. Head
lettuce, caulitloWer, pepper, eggplant
and tomato can be started in hotbeds,
while beet and forcing carrot can be
grown to maturity. In March SOW
hill of cucumber or cantaloupe to each
sash for extra early fruits.
Give air freely during the heat of
the day. Even in cold days the sash
should be raised very little for a few
minutes, and when the outside temper
AZURE is 60 degrees the sash may be
removed entirely, but the frames
should be closed before the cool of the
as chilled plant will not
thrive.
Care in watering and airing and at
tention to transplanting will insure |
stocky, vigorous plants for the garden |
With little experience the gardener
will find the hotbed a constant source
Of satisfaction.