MANAGEMIONT OF HOT BEDS. 235 



CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOT BEDS. 

 By J. G. Boyle, Purdue University. 



The use of hot beds for the starting and growing of vegetables out 

 of season is by no means a practice of recent origin. Two thousand years 

 ago the Romans were growing certain vegetables in pits that were pro- 

 tected by slabs of talc and heated with decaying vegetable matter. 



The forwarding of young plants for early planting in the garden by 

 the use of hot beds is a practice to be highly recommended for every farm 

 home. A frame of three or four sash will be of sufficient size to gi'ow 

 all of the plants for transplanting, and will, in addition, furnish quite an 

 amount of radish and lettuce for table use in early spring and late autumn. 

 A home-made frame large enough for four sash need not cost over eight 

 to ten dollars, including the cost of four glazed sash. An outfit of this 

 size carefully managed should afford luuch pleasure as well as profit. 



CONSTRUCTION. 



Location — The ideal location for the hot bed is on the south side of 

 a building or on a southern slope where the cold north and west winds 

 are cut off. It will be a great saving in time to have the bed located near 

 a good water supply, and when possible close to the farm buildings, in 

 order that the plants will receive proper attention as regards ventilating 

 and watering. The bed always extends east and west and should be 

 placed where it will not be shaded during any part of the day. 



Pit — The depth of the pit varies with the season, kind of plants to 

 be grown, and the heating material used. A common depth is about two 

 feet, and this will answer very well for the home garden. The width is 

 almost always six feet and the length as long as desired. If the soil has 

 a tendency to hold moisture it is well to provide artificial drainage by the 

 use of tile or by digging a deep hole in the center of the pit and filling it 

 with stone. 



Frame — The frame may be constructed of wood, concrete, stone, or 

 brick. The wooden fra7ne, although not so dui-able, is much cheaper and 

 will give excellent results. These are made by nailing or bolting together 

 two-inch cypress plank or some other durable wood in the form of a 

 rectangular box, generally six feet wide and of any desirable length. 

 The frame is so made that when the bottom is level, the top will be six 

 inches higher on one side than on the other. This provides for the carry- 

 ing away of the rain water and permits the entrance of the sun's rays. 

 After the frame is made it is placed in the pit with the narrow side to- 

 ward the south and nailed or bolted to the two-by-fours which have been 

 previously driven along the sides. Then the cross bars made of material 

 1% inches square are nailed across the frame every three feet to stiffen 

 it and to provide a support for the sash. 



Covers — Heavy sheeting, canvas, single light and double light sash 

 are used for covering the beds. The cloth covers are undesirable except 



