"Fire Hot-Beds. 63 



can be run very successfully and economically, and are now 

 run so in many places for forcing lettuce, radishes, etc., followed 

 by egg plant, tomato, pepper or sweet potato plants. A bed of 

 this kind is shown in illustration on preceding page and consists 

 of a double row of sashes forming a gable roof. 



The propei place for the structure is near the cold frames or 

 regular hot-beds, and running in same direction of compass. A 

 trench, see illustration, is excavated in centre of bed, slanting 

 from the surface of the ground where it is nearly as wide 

 as the bed, to the bottom where it need not be over half that 

 width. The furnace end should be on lower end of bed and 

 from three to four feet deep. From there the flue rises gradually, 

 say one foot to every ten in length, until it enters the chimney at 

 the end opposite the furnace. 



The fire-place may be constructed of fire-brick. Its height 

 is about two feet, ten inches of which are the ash-pit below the 

 grate ; its width about twelve inches, and the length of grate 

 twenty-eight or thirty inches. The bottom of the flue immediately 

 in the rear of the -furnace 



must be somewhat above ..--'"' "~\. 



the level of the grate, say 

 6 or 8 inches, to prevent 

 ashes and cinders from 

 getting into the flues. The 

 first 8 or 10 feet of flue 

 must be constructed of 

 brick ; the remainder may 

 consist of terra-cotta as Trench for Fire Hot-Bed, 



used as a substitute for 



brick chimneys, or even of lo-inch tile drain. The chimney 

 may be of brick or of terra-cotta, whatever the builder prefers. 

 A pit immediately in front of the fire-place, to the depth of 

 bottom of ash-pit, allows the operator to tend the fire, and when 

 not in use, is kept covered by a slanting door. A solid 

 frame-work, well supported underneath, holds a floor of plank 

 or boards for the soil, and a frame for the sashes to rest upon. 

 The most common mistake made in the erection of a fire 

 hot-bed is right in this frame-work. Few people seem to bear in 

 mind that this has to carry a considerable weight, and being 

 exposed to the influence of constant dampness, is liable to decay 

 and give out very soon, unless the timbers are strong, well-put 

 up, and of a kind not easily affected by moisture. The whole 

 arrangement of the bed is so simple that anybody of ordinary 

 understanding should be able to put it up without difficulty. 

 The gardener's common sense will dictate to him the details not 

 mentioned. The greatest objection to a hot-bed of this kind 

 tendency towards dryness of atmosphere, and necessity of frequent 



