330 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and length of the bed will be determined largely by the size and number 

 of sash to be used. Whatever the size of the bed, it should be dug out 

 to a depth of one to two feet and firmly filled with clean, fi-esh horee 

 manure that has been prepared by previously stacking it for ten days or 

 two weeks, and forking it over three or four times. This is to prevent 

 the manure from burning after making the bed, and to induce a slow 

 even heat to be given off by it for a long period. After firmly tramping 

 the manure it should be covered with about four inches of good soil. A 

 framework of two-inch plank is then constructed to hold the sash and to 

 keep the soil from caving in around the bed. This frame should be built 

 so that the top of the plank along the soulh side is about six iuches lower 



Fig. 5. — Seed beds. The plants are watered before lifting. 



than that of the north side, thus giving each sash a slight slant toward 

 the south (Fig. 3). The south side of the frame is also constructed at 

 such a height that the glass along this side will be about six inches above 

 the top of the soil in the bed. The sash may then be placed on the bed, 

 leaving ventilation enough for the steam and gasses to pass off. A ther- 

 mometer then inserted in the soil will probably show a high temperature 

 in the bed for the first few days, but when the temperature has receded 

 to about 85 degrees, the seed may be safely planted. 



Celery that is to be harvested after the first of September is generally 

 sown in out-door seed beds, planting the seed as early as weather con- 

 ditions will permit. The soil of these seed beds should be well fertilized 

 with fine, decomposed stable manure and fall plowed. The beds may 



