HOSACKIA 



HOTBEDS 



773 



west American plants. The genus contains about 30 spe- 

 cies, all American and almost wholly confined to the Pa- 

 cific slope. Herbs or rarely subshrubs : Ivs. pinnate, with 

 2 to many Ifts. : stipules minute and gland-like, rarely 

 searious or leafy: fls. yellow or reddish, in axillary um- 

 bels which are peduncled or not. The genus is closely 

 related to Lotus, but the calyx teeth are shorter than 

 the tube: keel obtuse: Ivs. usually with numerous Ifts., 

 none of which are like stipules, while Lotus has calyx 

 lobes usually longer than the tube, a rostrate keel and 

 5 or 4 Ifts., of which 2 or 1 are stipule-like. 



Ttie 2 species first mentioned belong to a section in 

 which the pods are shortly acute, linear, many-seeded, 

 straight, glabrous: fls. and fr. not reflexed : peduncles 

 long. The third species belongs to a section in which 

 the pods are long-attenuate upwards, incurved, pubes- 

 cent : peduncles short or none: fls. and fr. reflexed. 

 Monogr. by Watson in Bot. Calif. 1:133. 



crassifdlia, Benth. Stout, 2-3 ft. high, nearly gla- 

 brous : Ifts. 9-15, thickish : stipules searious, small: 

 bract below the umbel : calyx teeth short : pod thick: 

 fls. greenish yellow or purplish. B.R. 23:1977. 



bicolor, Dougl. Glabrous: Ifts. 5-9: stipules searious, 

 small : bract usually none or small : calyx teeth half as 

 long as the tube : pod slender : fls. yellow, the wings 

 often white. B.M. 2913. 



decumbens, Benth. Silky or woolly, with appressed 

 hairs: stems ascending, 1 ft. or more long: stems her- 

 baceous: Ifts. 5-7 : umbels less dense: stipules gland- 

 like: pods pubescent. w. M. 



HOTBEDS. These are low glass structures that are 

 generally heated by fermenting vegetable substances, 

 such as stable manure, although fire heat is occasionally 

 applied, steam, hot water and flues being used. Their 

 usual place is some spot sloping to the south, where 

 they are protected by buildings, evergreen screens or 

 board fences, from the north and west winds (Fig. 1096). 

 The frames are made either of plank or boards and may 

 be portable, or built in place, the former being taken 

 down and packed away except when needed. A tight 

 board fence 6 feet high, as a wind-break, is desirable, 

 as it will also serve as a support for the shutters, mats 

 and sash when they are removed from the bed, and it 

 will answer best for this purpose if it inclines a foot or 

 so to the north. 



When movable frames (Fig. 1097) are used they are 

 generally constructed of 2-inch plank, the side pieces 



1096. Hotbed sheltered by a hedge. 



The straw mats have been rolled off. 



being from 9 to 12 feet and the ends 6 feet in length, to 

 receive either three or four ordinary sash, which are 

 3 by 6 feet. The north side of the frame is made 15 

 inches wide, while the south side is but 9 or 10 inches, 

 thus giving a slope to the south, which will permit the 

 water to run off and favor the passage of the sun's rays 

 through the glass. The end pieces are 6 feet in length, 



but taper from 15 inches at one end to 9 or 10 at the 

 other, so as to fit the side boards. The plank for por- 

 table Hotbed frames may be held in place by means of 

 stakes, or iron rods or bolts may be fastened to the ends 

 of the side pieces so that they can pass through the 

 holes in the ends of the frame, which can then be fas- 

 tened by keys or nuts. As supports for the sash and to 

 hold the sides of the frame in place, cross-strips of 



1097. Hotbed with movable frame. 



board 3 inches wide are sunk into the upper edge every 

 3 feet, and another strip with a width equal to the thick- 

 ness of the sash is fastened on edge to the center of 

 its side. Frames of this size require a slightly deeper 

 mass of heating material than would be necessary for 

 larger frames, and when they are to be used during the 

 winter, it is well to excavate to the depth of 2% feet, 

 and for a space 2 feet longer and wider than the frame, 

 and after the hole has been filled with heating material, 

 the material should be well tramped down. The frame 

 is put in place and manure is then banked about it. 



For permanent frames, rough 1-inch boards may be 

 used, although 2-inch plank will be found far more 

 durable. Stout stakes should be driven into the ground 

 about 4 feet apart, where the north line of the bed is to 

 be located. These should project above the surface from 

 12 to 15 inches, and should be boarded up from a point 

 just below the level of the ground, so that the stakes 

 will be on the north side of the frame. A second row of 

 stakes should then ba driven at a distance from the first 

 row equal to the length of the sash, which is usually 6 

 feet, although other lengths are sometimes used. The 

 south wall of the frame should then be boarded up so 

 that it will be 5 or 6 inches lower than the north wall, 

 after which the end should be closed and cross-pieces 

 should be fitted, the same as for the portable sash. To 

 prevent frost from working into the frame, soil should 

 be taken from the inside and banked against the boards 

 outside, so that it will reach two-thirds of the way to 

 the top of the frame, and when the bed is ready for use, 

 3 or 4 inches of horse manure should be spread over 

 this. The frame should be placed about 3 feet from the 

 fence, and if other rows are needed, there should be 

 alleys about 7 feet wide between them. 



Hotbed Sash. The size that has been found most 

 satisfactory for Hotbed sash is 3 by 6 feet, as when 

 larger than this they are not readily handled by one 

 man. While pine and other native lumber may be used; 

 cypress is generally preferred, as it is much more dur- 

 able and costs but little if any more than clear pine. 

 The sides and upper ends of the sash are made from 

 3 by IK -inch strips, grooved to receive the glass, while 

 the lower end is about 1 by 5 inches. The center strips 

 are 1 by 1% inches. For glazing Hotbed sash, single 

 strength 10 by 12 glass is commonly used, as three rows 

 of this size will fill a sash 3 feet wide. While double- 

 strength glass will be less easily broken, the increased 

 weight is an objection to its use. The sash should re- 

 ceive two coats of paint, and after the glass, which may 

 be either lapped or butted, has been set, it should be 

 given a third coat. 



Mats and Shutters . -Tor covering the frames on 

 cold nights during the winter and early spring months, 

 straw mats are often used, although those made of bur- 

 lap are generally preferred. The burlap may be either 

 single or doubled, or it may be stuffed with straw, ex- 

 celsior or other materials. Quilted mats filled with com- 

 bination wool are very warm and quite durable. During 

 the winter, wooden shutters are also desirable to place 

 over the mats, as they assist in holding the heat, and 

 by keeping the mats dry, aid in preserving them. 



Heating Material for Hotbeds. To provide heat for 

 the beds decomposing horse manure is generally used. 

 While a large amount of straw is not desirable, the 



