The Republican journal., 1917-04-26
The Vegetable Garden.

Bulletin OF the University of Maine college
Of Agriculture, Extension Service
l. The Hot Bed, Cold Frame and
Forcing Hills.
The hot bed is device so arranged
that plants may be grown out of their re-
gular season. Heat is supplied to this
bed by means of fermeDtlng manure and
the whole is protected by means of a
covering of glass
The parts of a hot bed are: the pitt
the frame, and the sash. The pit should
be thirty inches deep, feet wide, end IL
feet long. 1t is customary to line this
pit with boards, although for permanent
ped concrete or brick may be used.
The frame fits above the pit being of
the same length and width. The back
side should be Is inches high and the
front side 9 inches nigh. Planks two
inches thick are usually best for this
frame When set up it should be level
along the sides, and square at the corners
and so fastened to stakes or to the top
of the lining of the pit that it can not be
easily moved. TIE front side should be
six inches lower than the back, so that
when the sash are placed IN position they
will shed water freely.
The sash are usually standard size, 3
feet, by 6 feet, and may be purchased
from any of the lumber concerns that
handle such supplies,
The pit of the hot bed should be filled
early in the spring with manure collected
from a horse stable. Care should be
taken to get manure that will ferment
freely when confined, as it is from this
source that we get the supply OF heat to
keep the crops from freezing and to
hasten growth.
The manure should be carefully settled
when put into the pit by having men
walk about on it constantly while it is
being spread over the area.
The manure should be covered with
about three inches of soil taken from a
We'll prepared compost. The quality of
this soil counts for much in the success
OF the crops TO be grown. The best
source Of this soil is from piles of manure
which have become well decayed and
have been mixed with sufficient loan to
mai e the whole well drained, yet capa-
Die If Holding considerable moisture.
The hJJ bed may be used from Feb.
18th on, by using heavy mats Of straw to
keep out the frost during coolest nights.
such a bed may be planted to lettuce,
radisb cabbage, caulitloWer, and such
plants which may be made use of early
III the season. Later in the spring ten
der plants like tomatoes, cucumbers,
etc, may be planted and held until con
1ltionS are favorable for them to be put
into the field
Notifications Of the true hot bed are
moi uncommon. Some individuals con-
slider it advisable to build the hot bed
entirely above ground. This prevents
any chance of water standing in the pit
early in spring, but requires that bank
ing Of manure be put around the outside
at planting time Ill the spring. This is
necessary to keep out the frost Of late
winter nights.
Another modification consists of plac-
ing a frame and sash on top of a large
pile of fermentlng manure which is to be
used later in the spring for some other
purpose.
The cold frame differs from the hot
bed in that 1t is not furnished with any
under heat.
The frame is the same as mentioned
for the hot bed and the same type of sash
are used.
The chief use of such frames is to pro
long the growing season, especially by
getting plants into the field early in the
spring. They may also be used to pro-
rect plants from trosts in the fall thus
holding open the season for green vege
tables long after frosts occur.
In most cases the crops are so arranged
that they are placed IN their permanent
positions in the field and as soon as
weather conditions are favorable the
sash and frames are removed and storel
for use the next season.
A modification of the cold frame that
is common is to dig ditch the entire
length of the frame. The ditch shoule
be only Is or Is inches wide and 10 inches
deep. This may be filled with ferment
ing stable manure covered with THU
layer of soil and such plants as cucum
bers and melons transpanted directl,
over this ditch. The manure thus ap
piled serves three purposes. 1t furnishe:
a little under heat to hasten the growth
it gives good drainage; and later on fur
nishes plant food directly to the crop
mentioned.
A second modification of the cold fran
is one where muslin cloth is substitutes
for the glass. The cloth is rolled bacl
during the day and acts simply as pro
lection against storms and frost.
1t must be remembered that it is some
what expensive to build hot beds and col
frames so that every portion of the area
thus prepared must be kept at work.
The plans of the arrangement of crop
under these glass covers must be give
considerable detail so that when on
crop is harvested another may eithe
grow to take its place or new see
should be put in at once.
In seeding any crop it should be ker
in mind that the seed should not be pu
in too thick if strong, vigorous plant
are to be produced. Seeds vary in siz
and vitality and should not all be PLAN
ed the same depth.
tWhen plants are ready to be taken out {
the hot bed and be put into the field the
should be allowed to 90 without waite
several days and be exposed to such ten
peratures as exist so long as there is n
danger of actual freezing.
In the care of the hot bed and col
frame considerable detail must be give