®lj? Cornell Urabtttij-OItwrara 



LESSON FOR THE FARM 



L. H. Bailey, Director 

 Course for the Farm, Royal Gilkey, Supervisor 



VOL II. No. 30 



ITHACA, N. Y. 

 DECEMBER 15, 1912 



vegetable-gardening 



SERIES No. 1 



HOTBED CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT 



A. E. Wilkinson 



The advantages of a good hotbed, to both the home and the com- 

 mercial vegetable grower, have many times been strongly emphasized. 

 In making garden plans it seems almost imperative to consider hotbeds, 

 unless a larger forcing outfit, such as a greenhouse, is to be built. Among 



Fig. 5. — A four-sash hotbed. Notice the slat frame for shading, the straw mat for 

 protection, the open bed with vegetables, and the ventilating sash 



the advantages that a properly managed hotbed gives to the home garden, 

 the following may be mentioned: 



1. It is possible by this means to start plants much earlier than they 

 could be started under natural conditions, and by transplanting these 

 to the garden an advance growth of four to six weeks may be gained over 

 seeds sown in the ground. 



Published semi-monthly throughout the year by the New York State College of Agriculture at 

 Cornel! University. Entered as second-class matter October 13, ion, at the post office at Ithaca, 

 N. Y., under the Act of Congres3 of July 16, 1894. 



[I6l5] 



