The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-11-30
COMMON SENSE HOT BED
BY JOSEPHINE DE MARR.

AT the very first stirring Of the sap
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 l feel the first hint of spring
] start my hot bed. The illustration
shows a hotbed frame which l fash
Toned out Of an old glass cupboard
door, some old boards, u saw, ham,
mer and nails. Critics may find fault
with 1t but 1t has been a decided sue
cess and so I do not mind the verdict
of the critics. Utility, not beauty, is
my aim.
The glass cover had done duty as a
cupboard door for many years and
when the house was remodeled 1t was
consigned to the attic until it 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 IL inches; the glass
frame is fastened to the back with
hinges. An excavation was dug by
the man of the house and the frame
placed upon it,
The excavation is eight or ten inches
deeper than the frame, and the frame
stands - inches above the soil at the
back, and the front five inches. A
stout stake was driven into the four
corners Of the frame to support It.
The bed is located south of the sum-
mer kitchen, a well-drained spot where
It 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 heating material was prepared. |
This was horse-manure gathered from
the stalls each day and put in a cone
shaped pile.
One-third leaves were added to as
sist the manure to "sweeten." Manure
alone is too dense and will not fer
ment properly unless leaves or straw
or some such litter is added.
AS soon as the pile looked large
enough to fill the frame 1t was allow
ed to ferment evenly. When the mass
was moist and steaming it was put in
to the hotbed.
1t is impossible to give any hard and
fast rule in preparing manure for the
hOtbeds for so much depends upon the
composition and texture of the ma
nure and the state of the weather.
1t is safe to say, however, that the
pile must be worked over several times
and when it is moist and warm 1t is
ready for the frame.
In the bottom of the excavation I
always place q thin layer of cOrnstalks
,ut a foot long for protection against
he cold earth. When the manure is
put in it nearly reaches the top of the
soil; then 1t is well tamped and after
amping, 1t should reach within ten !
inches of the top Of the frame in
ront.
In the vicinity of st. Louis, Mo-, {
,ight inches of thoroughly prepared
manure will heat a spring hotbed. {
The bed is then covered with the glass
loor and left to itself for a few days. |
Then five inches of fine, rich, well S
repaired soil is added; again the COW [
r let down and the bed allowed to !
Ieat; a thermometer placed in it and {
Vhen it registers S5 degrees the seeds I
re sown. I
Before sowing the seeds rake the t
oil to destroy the weed seeds which /
ave sprouted. Sow such seeds as to- b
1atoes, cabbage, lettuce, peppers, etc.,
ut be sure to reserve several rows v
or your flower seeds. q
Make the rows run north and south. e
Water the bed with sprinkler having v
very fine nose. Il
The little seedlings are very delicate d
nd care must be taken not to bake, f
tarve or chill them. Too much heat h
J worse than too little, therefore it is n
ecessary to air the hotbed by open v
lg the frame when the sun shines p
nd the weather is warm. r
Water with fine hose when the soil
)oks light in color and is dry to the S
ouch. Thin out the plants if they C
tand too thickly in the row. f
When the plants have attained two d
r three true leaves they must be o
into q cold frame. This h
made with the twin cupboard door, p