HOTBED AND COLD FRAME 



allowed to heat. Do not plant the seed until 

 you know the temperature of the manure. It 

 sometimes reaches a height of 110 F. and 

 higher. If seeds are planted then they seldom 

 germinate. After the temperature begins to 

 drop and it reaches 80 F., sow the seed. It 

 is a good practice to keep the surface of the 

 soil smooth and sift a little sand and fine soil 

 over the surface before dividing it into sections 

 and sowing the seed. Be sure to label the seed 

 after sowing. The surface should then be wa- 

 tered by applying the moisture like a fine rain. 

 Cover the seed bed with paper until the seed 

 starts to germinate, remove the paper and 

 carefully ventilate. The soil should be kept 

 moist but never wet, and watered in the morn- 

 ing so that the seedlings are dry by night. 



Ventilation. No management of the hot- 

 bed is more difficult than ventilation. Early 

 in the spring the sash should not be pulled 

 down but lifted up and gauged by a board 

 having a series of notches one inch apart. 

 This method of ventilating keeps the glass 



103 



