Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1924-02-21
MAKING A HoTBED

For the gardener "no "ou's "
have early radishes,. lettuce and
beets, or wants to raise his own
tomato, cabbage and celery plants
il is time to begin the hotDed. The
best kind of a hotbed is perman
ent one, made of concrete. II is
always ready for work in the
spring, it being only necessary to
cean out the dirt and manure. Where
a concrete bed is not possible, the
wooden kind is quite serviceabie.
IF the pit has not already been
dug, pile some fresh horse manure
over the spot to be dug and the
soil will soon be thawed out. The
botbed depends upon she manure for
it's heat and upon the sun for light
to make the plants grow. There
fore the hotbed must have south
ern exposure where It will be in
the sun all day long II there are
cold prevailing winds, board fences
or buildings on those sides will keep
the bed from being cooled off. Since
the hotbed requires frequent atten-
ton, especially during cold weather,
it should be located close to the
dwelling house so that it will not be
too great an effort to visit it often.
A hotbed also requires large quanti-
ties of water so it naturally must be
close to the water supply. Futher-
more the soil wants TO be well drain
ed because standing water on manure
kills" the heat.
For making a small hotbed not
longer than six feet, inch boards are
sufficiently thick providing they are
we'll cleated to prevent varying and
cracking. II the bed is to be longer,
two inch planks are better. In max
ing a large hotbed OF planks, each
side should be made separately and
the parts fastened together with
screws, bolts or hooks. The cross
bars supporting the sash should be
dovetailed into the sides-never
nailed The cross bars should be
provided with drip grooves to re-
move the moisture that so often
causes the Troublesome drip.
If sash are to be used on the hot
bed, it does not pay 10 get anything
but cypress. 1t outlaSts other
woods many years. TIE glass should
be double strength IAN by twelve
inch panes "a putlAx-s.-the glass
be sure that the sash is painted one
coat first, otherwise the putty will
not stick and the sash will require
frequent repairing. In many locali-
ties, glass is not necessary for hot
beds, a good grade of factory giving
nearly as good results. If factory
is used, be sure to have some can
vas or quilts to supplement it on cold
nights.
Horse manure is the best heat
medium for hotbeds. Secure some
that has about one third its bulk
of straw as this will give maximum
heat If it does not stream readily,
a little hot water will give it start.
When it has steamed thoroughly for
several days, the pile must be turned
so that the outside of the old pile
goes into the inside of the new one.
After several more days of steaming
it is ready for the hotbed.
1t should be placed in the pit in
layers six inches deep and well
tramped, otherwise it will settle later
and give trouble. The final depth
of the manure should be twelve TO
eighteen inches, although more is
necessary in colder climates. After
the manure is covered with soil the
bed may be covered and allowed to
heat several days before sowing the
seed Professor T. H. Bell, Horti-
culturist, Utah Agricultural Expert
ment Station