Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-27
Giving the Garden
An Early Start
(Prices Paid friday

The advantages of the hotbed and
cold frame are many and their use
enables us to gain much time In the
culture of many crops. certain
vegetables must be sown early II we
are to get a crop in good season,
starting them in the genial heat OF
the hotbed long before the spring
frosts are over. Plants requiring a
long season to reach their full bear
ing must be sown MANY weeks be-
fore it is safe to plant outside. Sucn
crops are peppers. elephants ana
| tomatoes, though lettuce, beets'
onions. cucumbers, melons, squash
and beans for extra early use can all
be fastened in that way.
For heating material long stable
manure-that is, containing plenty of
straw-may be used alone, but the
heat is more lasting If a quantity OF
leaves is mixed with it. Leaves and
manure, an equal quantity Of each
or even third of manure, should
be thoroughly mixed and should be
nicely moist After it has begun TO
heat we'll turn the heap over again,
the outer portion being this time
brought into the center. When 1t
heats for the second time it is in a
suitable condition for placing in the
pit.
The standard size Of glass sash Is
six feet by three. The pit for the
heating material should be at least
two and one-half feet deep, but
where the winters are comparatively
mild it need not be more than one
| foot deep. 1t is made to fit the size
of the sash, and may be lined with
boards, concrete or brick.
h. hn+ &c 10 =
| fixture the pit should be lined with
boards. First line the walls with
! boards one inch thick, to which at
tach a lining of thick building paper,
then another lining of one-incil
! boards. This tends to retain the
heat and keep the bed free from
water; but, the bottom should hare
some drainage, which may take the
form of three-inch layer of stones
| or large cinders.
When filing the pit with the heat
| ing material it should be done care
/ fully, spreading it quite evenly over
the entire bed layer by layer, we'll
! trodden and firmed as the operation
| proceeds. The sash is now placed
! on the frame until a brisk heat Is
, generated throughout the bed. When
| the bed is heating nicely the manure
| is covered with four to six-incll
layer of soil. The soil should be
good and of rather light nature
! such as will drain readily and not
cake on top. After the soil has been
spread over the manure the sash is
replaced and time allowed for 1t to
become properly warm. In the course
| of two or three days the heat in the
| frames will be much too high for
seeds, BY the aid of a rood fbar
mometer sunk in the soil. watch the
heat carefully and when it is nearing
so degrees seed sowing may be safely
/ undertaken.
when watering, always use a fine
| nozzle and so eliminate the danger of
washing the topsoil and seed. Fine
seeds should be covered very lightly.
not more than twice their diameter.
Always firm the soil after sowing,
using smooth board for the pur-
pose. BY covering the seed bed with
, paper, termination is fastened, but
IL must be removed as soon as the
seedlings are appearing. The soil
should be kept moist but not really
wet, and all watering must be done
IN the morning. Avoid watering on
oull or cloudy days, unless the plants
are really suffering. then sparingly.
Ventilation is most important.
During bright sunny days the hotbed
VIII heat very quickly and unless q
little air is given the plants are liable
10 become badly scorched. But the
sash should be raised only little
curing the early spring. and on the
slde opposite to the wind. For this
purpose cut board with notches one
men apart up to six inches. During