774 



HOTBEDS 



presence of urine-soaked bedding with the manure to the 

 extent of one-third its bulk is not objectionable, as it 

 will lengthen the heating period of the manure. Unless 

 straw is mixed with the manure. It will be well to add 

 forest leaves to the amount of one-third to one-half the 

 amount of the manure. The heating material should be 

 forked over and placed in a pile 5 or 6 feet wMe, 3 or 4 



'W^^^^^^:::^ 



109b. Holbcd 111 cioss-section. 



feet high and of any desired length. If the manure and 

 straw are dry, it will be well to moisten them with a fine 

 spray. In case there is but a small amount of manure, it 

 will be best to usewarm water, though in all cases the soak- 

 ing of the manure should be avoided. Within four or five 

 days the giving off of steam will indicate that heating 

 has commenced. The pile .should then be forked over, 

 working the outer portions into the center. 



The amount of heating material that will be required 

 for a Hotbed will vary with the crop, as well as with the 

 location and season. For zero weather, there should be 

 at least 18 inches of heating material after it has been 

 well packed down, and 24 inches will be desirable in 

 midwinter in the northern states, while 6 or 8 inches 

 may answer where only a few degrees of frost are ex- 

 pected. For 18 inches of manure, the excavation should 

 be made to a depth of 28 inches below the level of the 

 south side of the frame, and 31 inches below that of the 

 north side. After the manure has warmed through for 

 the second time it should be placed in the excavation, 

 spreading it evenly and packing it down with the fork, 

 but leaving it for a few days before tramping it. Care 

 should be taken to have the comers well filled, that an 

 even settling may be secured. After the manure has 

 again warmed up, it shoiild be thoroughly tramped. 



The bed is then ready for the soil, which should be 

 quite rich and contain a large amount of sand and 

 humus, a compost of decomposed pasture sods with one- 

 third their bulk of rotten manure being excellent for the 

 purpose. The thickness of the soil should vary from 5 

 to 7 inches, the greater depth being desirable for radishes 

 and other root crops (Fig. 1098). When boxes of plants 

 are to be placed in the beds the depth of soil need not be 

 more than 3 inches. For a few days the bed will be quite 

 warm, but when the temperature of the soil has dropped 

 below 90° the seeds may be sown or the plants set out. 



In severe weather the mats and shutters should be 



placed on the bed it nit,ht ind should be removed m the 



mornmg V> hen the 



lunis shming or if the 



\ erv hot 



HOTTOXIA 



can be secured, it is advisable to have it upon a side-hill 

 sloping to the south. When hot water is used for heat- 

 ing Hotbeds, a 2- or 2H-inch wrought-iron pipe is placed 

 just beneath the ridge as a flow pipe, with one or two 

 2-inch pipes upon each of the side walls, the number 

 varying with the season and the crops to he grown (Fig. 

 1101). Steam may be u.sed in the same way, but the 

 pipes should be one or two sizes smaller. 



In the northern states the use of Hotbeds for grow- 

 ing crops during the winter iii'intli^ i^ not ;i<lvis:il>Ie, as 

 better results can be secun-l in -iv, nlMm-.s, wliich will 

 not be very much more exji.n-ix . t,, IhdM, ami will lie 

 more durable besides much . a^]. i t.. lianilli-. but in the 

 spring Hotbeds are very u.setul I'm- .■-laiUng vegetable 

 and bedding plants, as well as for growing lettuce, 

 radishes and other vegetables. In the South fire Hot- 

 beds answer very well for use in the winter for grow- 

 ing plants for the truck garden, as well as for forcing 

 vegetables, but even there the simply constructed green- 

 houses are more satisfactory. 



Coldframes differ from Hotbeds only in lacking arti- 

 ficial heat, as they depend entirely upon the sun. The 

 surface of the soil should be from 6 to 12 inches below 

 the glass, and a large amount of plant-food should be 

 provided. Coldframes are often used forwintering half- 

 hardy plants, and for starting and growing plants in the 

 spring, after danger from severe frost is over. 



Management of Hotbeds. — It the weather is mild dur- 

 ing the latter part of February, the manure can be pro- 

 cured and prepared for use so that the Hotbed may be 

 started about the first of March. If properly constructed 



1099. Ventilatine the Hotbed. 



banked up with soil or manure, 

 frost. 



Pipe-heated //..«.. Jx. - l-jr.- 1 

 from 10 to 12 f.-rt wi.h-, -a iili n ^ 



should be ventilated 

 ly raising (Fig 1099) 

 or slipping down (Fig 

 1097) the sash the 

 1 nount del ending 



t the 



h ul 1 I cl sed and 

 the covering should be 

 replaced before night 

 When used m the win- 

 ter time, the Hotbed 

 should be either sunk 

 in the ground or well 



so as to keep out the 



Ii.tl.i'cls are generally 

 .,ni iM.if. A Hotbed of 

 nl I, inch sewer pipe as 

 in which wood can be 

 order that a good draft 



Hotbed. 



they will provide heat for two months, and can then bo 

 used during May as a coldframe, thus making it pos- 

 sible to take off two crops in the spring. Although it is 

 not often practiced, they may be used in the fall for 

 growing a crop of lettuce or other vegetables, which can 

 be matured before the first of December. 



If a greenhouse is not available for starting the plants, 

 seeds of lettuce, radishes, cabbages and other of the har- 

 dir-r plnnt- iiiMv he sown in the Hotbed in the spring as 

 s.iMii ax it i^ I'.aily, in rows 4 orSinchesapart. When the 

 lii-t irur |i al appears, the radishes should be thinned 

 ;inil tlic ..111. T jilants transplanted to about 2 inches. 

 Lat.r I. II, til., lettuce plants should he placed about 8 

 inches apurt each way. If the weather is so cold that 

 the bed should not be kept open, the seeds may be sown 

 and the first transplanting may be in flats or boxes, 

 which can then be placed in th.- lads. Aside from proper 

 ventilation, covering and w:.i. r'urj. iln I. .-.Is should be 

 occasionally weeded and 111. m ' \i..iiit the first 



of April, tomatoes, cucunii-. i ir ]ilants may 



be started. As soon as ..n. . i -,■ . -.. . n off another 

 should be placed in the bL'.l>, ami l.;. dn pining the soil 

 they may be used during the early summer for growing 

 cauliflower, tomatoes and cucumbers. l. r. Tapt. 



HOTfilA. SeeAstilbe. 



HOTTENTOT BREAD. Testudinaria elephant ipes. 



HOTTONIA (Peter Hotton, 1048-1709, professor at 

 Leyden). PrimulAcew. Featherfoil. A genus of two 

 species of aquatic plants, the only aquatic members of 

 the primrose family. They are suitable for small 

 aquaria. The European species is procurable from 

 dealers in aquatics; tin- .^nnri.-an one can be gathered 

 in shallow, stairnant i...ii.l> fn.m Massachusetts to 

 western New Ymk an.l x.inili t.. Florida and Louisiana. 

 The European plant, H. palustris, Linn., is an herb with 

 creeping rootstcick, wliorlcil, leafy branches entirely 



