Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-03-15
SOUTH PARIS, MAINE, TUESDAY, MARCH Is, 1921
Hot Beds.

HOt-beds and cold frames enable the
gardener to lengthen the growing sea-
son for his crops. With them he can
start his operations . few weeks In sd-
vance Of the last chilly days OF spring,
before which it 10 not possible to plant
out of doors. Throughout the spring
and summer these beds may be utilized,
and after the first fall frost they furnish
protection for late vegetables. They
are inexpensive and easily operated, say
garden specialists Of the United States
Department of Agriculture.
Standard hot.bed sash are 8 BY 6 feet,
and it is customary to make q home
garden hot-bed with one, two, or more
sash. according to the size Of bed de-
sired. Select well-protected and thor.
oughly drained spot, dig pit IL to 18
inches deep and little larger than the
bed is to be made: Throw the good top
soil to one side and the bottom soil TO
the. other side. For two-sash bed
about one good wagonload OF fresh
horse-stable manure will be required.
The manure should be thrown in hai
pile few feet away from where the bed
ia to be constructed and the pile turned
about twice at intervals of three or four
days. As it is turned the outer portion
of the pile IL thrown to the middle and
the inner portion to the outside, in order
to get uniform heating throughout
Then put the manure into the pit, each
forkful being shaken to break 1t apart
and spread II evenly. 1t should be we'll
tamped. Put In layer about inches
until the pit has been filled level with
the ground. In case the manure IL
rather dry, little water should be
sprinkled over 1t as it is spread 10 the
bed. 1t should be moist enough to
pack reasonably solid but springy under
the feet.
The frame of the bed, made Of wood,
is then set on top Of the manure and the
earth from the bottom of the pit banked
up outside of the frame to keep out the
cold. The north side of the frame
should be 6 inches higher than the south
side. The good soil from the surface OF
the pit is spread on the packed manure
1t is good plan to mix little we'll
rotted manure with this soil. A very
light sprinklipg of fertilizer, 80 little
that 1t can scarcely be seen, will be
beneficial.
Put the sash on and leave the bed to
heat for several days. First the manure
will become very hot, then after two or
three days 1t will gradually cool. The
temperature will then remain more mod
crate. No seeds should be planted un-
til the temperature of the soil has fallen
below $50. Use q thermometer, the bulb
Of which Is buried about 8 inches deep
in the soil. Feeling the bed with the
hand is not reliable method of taking
the temperature. Have piece of old
carpet or burlsp mat to throw over
the sash for protection on extremely
cold nights. Loose straw will serve the
same purpose, but 1t is difficult to handle
and must be weighted down to keep 1t
from blowing away. ID warm weather
the straw is swept off the glass so the
sunshine can get to the plants.
Hot.beds must be watched during
bright weather to prevent them becom-
ing too warm, as the sun shining direct
ly on the glass soon brings the tempera-
ture above that suitable for the growing
of plants.
Ventilation is provided by propping
the sash up at one side or the other
according to the direction Of the wind.
Have the wind blow over the opening
and not directly into the bed. The bed
should be closed toward evening 80 1t
will keep warm during the night. As
the season advances more ventilation is
necessary.
Cold frames are hot-beds minus arti-
fetal heat-simply sash-covered frames
with no pit under them but banked up
on the outside to keep out the cold.
They are useful for growing plants that
have been started In hot-beds, and for
hardening plants to get them in condi-
tion to plant In the garden. Sometimes
q bed about IL IL feet In length covered
by four regular hot-bed sash is divided
into two parts, one part being made into
q hot-bed and the other q cold frame.
This 10 an excellent arrangement and
one that In not expepsiye.