DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



VOL. III. 



SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1851. 



NO. 6, 



RAYNOLDS & NOURSE, 



Proprietors. 



OFFICE, QUINCY HALL, BOSTON. 



S. W. COLE, Editor. 



HOT BEDS. 



The preparation of hot beds is a very important 

 part of the market gardener's system, for by them 

 he is able not only to bring several species of plants 

 to perfection, even in winter, and early spring, but 

 he starts a great many plants that are to be per- 

 fected in the open air. In some cases a small space 

 in a hot bed will be sufficient to start a large num- 

 ber of plants, the cost of starting which is°a mere 

 trifle compared with the price of the crop in the 

 market. Therefore the gardener can well afford 

 to incur the expense of this artificial mode of for- 

 warding plants, and watch them with constant 

 care, for weeks, and even for months, when neces- 

 sary. 



The mode pursued by the market gardener will 

 answer, on a small scale, for the farmer, or any 

 one who would grow vegetables for his own use. 

 A friend has suggested that he can give a good 

 method of making a farmer's hot bed, without 

 glass and with very little trouble. He will oblige 

 us by sending it soon. The hot bed system of for- 

 wardmg plants, and of perfecting many in the cold 

 season, is practised to a large extent in this vicinity. 

 Some commence their hot beds as early as Novem- 

 ber, and perfoct plants which they have started in 

 the open air in the fall ; and they keep hot beds in 

 operation through the winter and spring. But we 

 would not advise a person who has no experience 

 in producing artificial heat for plants to commence 

 early in the season, but begin in the spring and 

 gam experience before going into the business ex- 

 tensively, and in a season of difficult management 

 for the unexperienced. 



Generally a location slanting to the south has 

 been considered most eligible ; but experience dic- 

 tates that the slope should be rather to the south- 

 east, to take the morning sun. A tolerably steep 

 slope IS best, but a level surface will answer for 

 the location, and many are under the necessity of 

 using such. A hill or mountain on the back side 

 IS an excellent natural barrier against cold winds 



but for the want of these it is desirable to have a 

 close wall or fence of good height. 



No matter as to the soil of the situation chosen 

 for hot beds, as a soil must be made, and suitable 

 kinds for the different plants. For instance, for 

 radishes, sand or sandy loam ; for lettuce, a rich 

 soil with a good portion of well decomposed man- 

 ure. 



A good size for sash is six feet long, by three 

 feet wide. The length is from front to back, and 

 a long continuous hot bed is made, and these sash- 

 es are laid by the side of each other to cover it. 

 Each sash has four small bars running lengthwise, 

 which gives five rows of glass, six inches wide. 

 There is no cross work, but the panes of glass are 

 lapped, and as the sash slants considerably, the wa- 

 ter runs off", as on a shingled roof. 



The glass generally used is six by four inches. 

 This is less liable to break than a large size. Some 

 use a still narrower size, remarking that notwith- 

 standing the increase of bars in such case, there is 

 heat enough. But a narrower size would cost more 

 both for sash and glass. 



In making a hot bed, it is better to dig down so 

 as to have it mostly below a level with the surface 

 of the earth, as it will be less liable to be affected 

 by the changes of weather. The frame of the 

 hot bed should be made of planks or stout boards ; 

 and the front and back should be just far enoutrh 

 apart for the sash to cover them well. The front 

 plank should be about six inches lower than the 

 back. This will give a descent in the glass of one 

 inch to the foot. 



The pit in the frame should be about two and a 

 half feet in depth. When the hot bed is made in 

 winter there should be one and a half feet of clear 

 manure placed in the bottom; and this manure 

 should begin to ferment before put into the bed, 

 and put in hot. As the weather grows milder, 

 one foot will be sufficient. On this should be 

 placed a soil and manure adapted to tiie plants 

 to be cultivated, as we have already named, 



