CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE HOTBEDS 65 



filled in over these stones is well packed to prevent smoke from 

 going through into the dirt of the bed. Thus, flues are made which 

 conduct the heat and smoke under the bed to the chimneys at 

 the upper end (Fig. 37). 



In localities where rock is not easily obtained, sewer tiles, 

 four to six inches in diameter, are sometimes used for flues in place 

 of the rock-covered flues above described. In this case it is unneces- 

 sary to excavate the full width of the bed, since the tile can be 

 placed in the bottom of trenches dug to the proper depth. 



Chimneys for the upper ends of the flues are made by nailing 

 together four ten-inch boards. The board on the side toward the 

 flue should be a foot shorter than the other three so as to allow 

 an opening into the chimney. 



As the flues are finished, most of the dirt which was dug out 

 is shoveled back into the bed, filling it to the original level or per- 

 haps two inches higher. Boards are nailed across the ends 

 of the bed. The fire-pit is covered about two feet deep 

 and the remainder of the dirt is banked against the out- 



■ ■soil 



FireP,t .w,m)wj7rmy/y//y^^ 



Fig. 37. — Longitudinal section of fire hotbed. 



side of the walls of the bed. Additional dirt should be piled 

 against the walls to bank them to the top, for the severe weather 

 of February and March will make it necessary to protect the 

 plants as much as possible. 



To be in readiness for use in the spring the bed should be com- 

 pleted in the fall, and the soil put in for growing the plants. This 

 should be about four inches deep. Soil rich in humus and rela- 

 tively free from weed seeds is secured. This is usually enriched 

 with well-rotted manure in the proportion of one load of manure 

 to ten loads of soil. After the soil is put in, the bed is left open to 

 the weather until late in December, when it is covered with sash 

 to keep out rain and snow. 



The sash are supported by cross-bars resting on the walls of 



the bed. Each cross-bar is made by nailing together two strips 



of wood, one of which is 1' x 3' and just long enough to fit 



loosely between the walls of the bed, and the other is 1' x 2' and 



5 



