242 



Construction and Management of Hot-heds. 



Vol. XI. 



those who, of all others, ought to appreciate 

 it — the professed cultivators of ihe soil. No 

 etFort, worth speaking of, is bestowed upon 

 them, as a general thing. We have seen 

 what is called the gardens of some of the 

 best field farmers in this county, produce 

 little else but weeds, at a season when they 

 should have been teeming with all the va- 

 riety of healthy, nutritious vegetables. Let 

 us urge upon them, for their own sakes, and 

 for the credit of our agriculture generally, 

 the importance of a reform in this regard. 

 In the midst of the improvements of the day, 

 the vegetable garden, that may contribute 

 so largely to the health and comfort of every 

 family, should surely not be neglected. Let 

 it participate, largely and fully, in the im- 

 provement, and it will yield ample compen- 

 sation. This is the season to make prepara- 

 tions while there is leisure. 



A simple hot-bed for forwarding plants, 

 such as cabbage, tomato, celery, brocoli, 

 cauliflower, egg-plant, pepper, melons, cu- 

 cumbers, &c., may be constructed by any 

 man having but ordinary ingenuity. The 

 size may be adapted to circumstances. For 

 raising such plants as we have mentioned, a 

 frame of about twelve feet long and six 

 wide, which will allow of three sashes, each 

 three feet wide, will be found large enough 

 for any family. It should be made of com- 

 mon two inch plank — the back about three 

 feet high, the front about half that, the ends 

 having a regular slope from back to front. 

 This will give an angle sufficient to throw 

 off rain, and give the full benefit of external 

 heat and light to the plants within. If the 

 beds are narrow the front must be higher in 

 proportion. The sides and ends are simply 

 nailed to a strong post, four inches square, 

 or more, placed in each corner. For the 

 sashes to rest and slide upon, a strip six 

 inches wide is placed across the frame, the 

 ends mortised or sunk in the sides of the 

 frame, so as not to cause a projection. The 

 sashes are made in the ordinary way, but 

 v/ithout cross bars; and in glazing, the lights 

 are made to overlap an eighth or quarter of 

 an inch, to exclude the rain. Such a frame, 

 costing a mere trifle beyond the labour, will 

 last for years. Where so large a frame as 

 the dimensions here given, may not be 

 wanted, an old window may be used for 

 sash, and all expense of glazing be avoided. 



Hot-beds should occupy a dry situation, 

 where they will not be affected by the lodg- 

 ment of water during rains or thaws. They 

 should be exposed to the east and south, and 

 protected by fences or buildings from the 

 north and north-west. 



Where it is intended merely to grow 

 plants for transplanting to the garden, they 



may be sunk in the ground to the depth of 

 18 inches, and will in such a case require 

 not more than two feet deep of manure; but 

 when forcing and perfecting vegetables, a 

 permanent heat must be kept up, and the 

 bed must be made on the surface, so that 

 fresh and warm manure may be added when 

 necessary. A depth of three to four feet of 

 manure will in such cases be wanted. Ma- 

 nure for hot-beds should go through a regu- 

 lar process of preparation. It should be 

 fresh stable manure, placed in a heap, and 

 turned and mixed several times, promoting 

 a regular fermentation ; thus it is made to 

 retain its heat a long time, otherwise it 

 would burn and dry up, and become useless. 



Those who wish to force cucumbers, rad- 

 ishes, salad, &c., should begin, if the wea- 

 ther be favourable, about the latter end of 

 February. For raising plants it is time 

 enough to begin in March. In forcing cu- 

 cumbers, Bridgeman says : 



" The substance of dung from the bottom 

 of the bed should be three to four feet, ac- 

 cording to the season of planting, and the 

 mould should be laid on as soon as the bed 

 is settled, and has a lively, regular-tempered 

 heat. Lay the earth evenly over the dung, 

 about six inches deep; after it has lain a 

 few days examine it, and if no traces of a 

 burning effect are discovered, by the mould 

 turning of a whitish colour and caking, it 

 will be fit to receive the plants, but if the 

 earth appears burned, or has a rank smell, 

 some fresh sweet mould should be provided 

 for the hills, and placed in the frame to get 

 warm ; at the same time vacancies should 

 be made to give vent to the steam, by run- 

 ning down stakes. 



" After the situation of the bed has been 

 ascertained and the heat regulated, the hole 

 should be closed and the earth formed into 

 hills; raise one hill in the centre under each 

 sash, so that the earth is brought to within 

 nine inches of the glass; in these hills plant 

 three seedlings, or turn out such as may be 

 in pots with the balls of earth about their 

 roots, and thus insert one patch of three 

 plants in the middle of each hill. The 

 plants should be immediately watered with 

 water heated to the temperature of the bed, 

 and kept shaded till they have taken root. 



" The temperature should be kept up to 

 CO degrees, and may rise to 80 degrees 

 without injury, provided the rank steam be 

 allowed to pass ofi^; therefore, as the heat 

 begins to decline, timely linings of well pre- 

 pared dung must be applied all roimd the 

 frame. Begin by lining the back part first; 

 cut away the old dung perpendicularly to 

 the frame, and form a bank two feet broad, 

 to the height of a foot, against the back of 



