236 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



perhaps late in the season, as they will not provide the necessary pro- 

 tection. If the hot bed is to be started in February, double light sash 

 will prove most satisfactory, and if not until the middle of March light 

 sash may be used. The double light sash costs from $3 to $4 and the 

 single light sash from $1.50 to $2.50. 



Heating Material — Fresh horse manure is used for providing the 

 artificial heat. This is gathered at least two weeks before the seed is to 

 be sown, mixed with about one-third its bulk of straw or leaves, and piled 

 up under cover to heat. When it has heated thoroughly it is forked over 

 into another pile, putting what was on the exterior of the old pile into the 

 interior of the new one. After this second heating it is ready for the 

 hot bed pit. 



It will be found most satisfactory to put the manure into the pit in 

 successive layers of six inches and then tramping it firmly, especially 

 along the sides and corners. Due allowance must be made for settling, 

 and after this has taken place the manure should be eighteen inches deep. 



Soil — Following the manure six inches of rich soil is put in the pit. 

 A good garden soil that does not pack readily may be used, or one can 

 be prepared by piling up alternate layers of June grass sod and manure 

 eight to ten months before it will be needed and allowing it to decay. 

 Before this is put in the hot bed it should be put through a coarse sand 

 screen to remove the rough materials. 



IMANAGEMENT. 



Sowing Seed — As soon as the manure and soil are in the bed the sash 

 are put on and the heating process begins. In three or four days the tem- 

 perature will rise rapidly until it reaches a temperature of 100 degrees 

 Fahrenheit or more. The seed is never sown until after this first heating 

 is over and the temperature has fallen to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. In order 

 to be certain about the temperature a good, thermometer must be kept in 

 the bed. 



The seed are sown preferably in rows across the bed from four to 

 six inches apart in order that the soil may be stirred and the plants 

 thinned easily. Broadcast sowing is not to be recommended. 



Ventilation — The controlling of the temperature is very important 

 and must be carefully regulated if good results are to be obtained. The 

 temperature is changed by raising and lowering the sash along the north 

 side of the bed. The thermometer is always placed in the shade in the 

 hot bed when it is read and not in the direct sunlight. Such plants as 

 pepper, tomato, and egg are held at a day temperature of from 75 to 80 

 degrees Fahrenheit and a night temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 Those like lettuce, celery, cabbage, and cauliflower are kept at a tem- 

 perature of 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 50 to 55 de- 

 grees Fahrenheit at night. 



Watering — A good rule to follow in adding water is to water thor- 

 oughly but not often. If a little is added daily it does not reach the 

 roots, while at the same time it makes the conditions ideal in the hot bed 



