South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-13
AGRICULTURE and STOCK-RALSLNG
GARDEN OWNERS
ARE ADVISED TO
BUILD HOFBEDS
Directions for Construction of
Permanent HOtbed Given
In Circular.

E,veyrone who has a large home
vegetable garden should build .
hotbed this year: and even for the
man or woman who has but o small
garden plot. a hOtbed viii prove
SQUIRE OF great satisfaction.
Not only Will you be able 20 raise
YOUR own cabbage. caulifower, head
lettuce, tomato. pepper and sweet
potato plants that you may trans
plant later in the garden but YOU
car grow a few radishes and some
lettuce 4 month 20 six weeks earlier
than 70 could outdoors well
-0me addition 70 the spring menu.
Iu the fall tho frame and cash may
he used al "a cold frame ID ErovS
- tuCe. radlshes and spinach
When you have decided TO build
ths hotbed. the first step is 10 secure
me necessary manure AT once II
YOU do not have IL on the place
telephone tho nearest livery stable
or ice company for fresh horse
manure one-third to oue-half straw.
About two loads Will be needed for
every SIX BY six hotbed
Delay One Week
Race the manure IN a fat-top
pile three 20 i've feet high. not less
than three feet wide, and any
length desired Sprinkle it with
warm water II the weather is very
cold. In five or six days fork over
the manure. placing that which was
on the interior on the heap on the
outside and that on the outside in
the central part. so that the whole
mass will heat evenly. but not burn.
Ina another week the manure should
be ready to use for the hotbed
Meanwhile the frame should nave
been built. the sash ordered through
YOUR local hardware dealer. and the
pit dug II you prefer 10 have a pit
hotbed rather than a surface hot
bed. 4 six by xix foot hOtbed. which
will use two standard size sash
three by six feet or "A u by six
hOtbed, requiring four three bv six
sash. are good sizes for the aver
"a Sc home gardener. The pit should
be dug just a little larger than the
size OF your frame and two feet
deep. Place some gravel or trash
In the bottom for drainage six
inch layer OF manure should be
thrown in, tramped thoroughly. an
other layer put IN and the process
repeated until the pit Is filed: then
set your frame on top OF the
manure. place a layer of good gar
den loan. six inches deep if YOU
are going 20 plant directly in the
beds. two inches will be enough II
YOU are going TO raise your plants
r flats or pots.
PIT Type Better.
In the case OF a surface hOtbed,
e Hat top pile OF the manure some
what larger than the frame is made
on top the ground. tramped firmly.
and the frame placed directly on
his heap. This plan does away
with pit digging. but has some dis
advantages over the pit type.
Bank the frame around the edges
with soil or manure. put on your
sash. and allow the temperature TO
nan up. then recede until so 20 SO
degrees is reached; il is then safe
70 plant your seeds.
The hotbed should De located in
q we'll drained spot, with the front
toward tho south 80 as 10 get fun
benefit from the sun and protected
from the cold northwest winds by
he house. fence or shrubbery.
The frame Is usually made Of one
and One-half 20 twO-inCh boards.
the back board IS inches high. the
front one Il inches high, with the
side slOping accordingly; old lum-
Der that is heavy and durable of
almost any thickness may be used.
Portable Frames Advised.
IN order that the frame may be
easily taken apart each year and
stored when not In use. the ends
may be fastened to the sides by
bolts. long screws. or pieces Of
strap iron bent to tit the corners.
a two by four stake nailed To slCh
corner or the frame viii serve 90
hold IL firmly in place Though the
sash may be made AZ home 10 is
more satisfactory and practically as
cheap 90 buy them ready made
from the manufacturer. The best
way is probably 20 secure a sash
that is not painted or glazed and
do the painting and glazing your
self
Ssshes that arc douhle-Flazed
will afford plants plenty of protec-
lion hut they are heavy 70 handle
and harder 90 clean than q single
glazed sash. The latter must be
covered with old mating CARPET or
mats on very cold nights ir order
20 protect the plants from freezing
a cloth covered sash is not desir-
able for covering hotbeds since they
DO not keep out the cold or admit
sufficient sunlight for stocl1y growth.