160 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



For the New England Farmer. 

 HOT BEDS. 

 While to the professional, or market gar- 

 dener the hot bed is an essential adjunct, to 

 the family garden it is a very convenient ap- 

 pendage ; enabling one to produce the choice 

 products of the garden several weeks earlier 

 than they can be had otherwise. Many are 

 deterred from constructing a hot bed from an 

 erroneous impression that the trouble and ex- 

 pense are greater than the advantages to be 

 derived therefrom. Necessarily the expense 

 may not be very large, as a cheaply constructed 

 frame and sash" may be made to answer a very 

 eood purpose ; but a well-constructed frame, j 

 End good glazed sash, If properly taken care 

 of are the cheapest, as they will last quit^ a 

 number of years, and the outlay of a few do - 

 lars to start with will enable one to have all 

 the advantages to be derived from a good hot 

 bed. One other objection is often urged--tiie 

 amount of manure needed for the bed. I his 

 need be no objection, for the manure may be 

 taken for other purposes after being used in the 

 bed, and being well decomposed is admirably 

 fitted for later crops. • Frames constructed ol 

 crood plank, and, as often recommended, with 

 fron liops on the ends of the sides, to pass 

 through mortices in end pieces at the corners 

 and fastened by inserting keys through the 

 loons, will make (he most convenient ones, as 

 they maybe readilv taken apart, when through 

 with for the season, and packed away so as 

 to occupy but little space. Sash of three by 

 six feet, well glazed and i.aiuted, are about as 

 handy as any size, and as frcMpicntly used by 

 market -.ar.leners as any. As the editor verj- 

 kindly illustrated a cheap and easily-made hot 



bed, accompanied with remai-ks, m connect on 

 with mv former article on ''The Garde.. he 

 reader will have no trouble m understanding 

 the principle of a hot bed with glass, as shown 

 I bv the above cut. In constructing the bed 

 I'prefer to excavate a pit about a foot larger 

 I on every side than the frame, and some 18 

 ! inches deep. Fill this and raise it about a fbot 

 i above the surface with the manure and on this 

 1 place the frame, and bank up Y^^h earth, cov- 

 Lin- the manure five or six mches deep, or 

 more, outside the frame; place the sash on 

 ' and ik the manure steam.. When the heat ha 

 subsided to about 90°-it wil go to lOO or 

 i^ore-spread on five or six inches of fine rich 

 larden mould, well filled with vegetable matter, 

 and In this, after warming up a fevv hours sow 

 your seed in drills from front to back side of 

 ihe bed. The bed should face the south to 

 receive the full benefit of the sun's rays Be- 

 ginners are too apt to sow their seed in the 

 hot bed before the heat begms to subside and 

 thus lose them, and from the f^ailure tl s rn 

 duced, become discouraged; whereas had they 

 hurried vwre dowhj, success would have at- 

 tended their efforts. 



I have stated that manure for heating is 

 needed; this is of the greatest imporanee, 

 and also that it should be of lasting materia , 

 that the heat may be continued as long as pos- 

 sible. Horse stable manure, pleutiluUv sup 

 plied with strawy litter Is common y use. a 

 his is of a quicker nature than other animal 

 manure. 'Ais should be thrown into a heap 

 under cover, as thrown from the -^tal . a few 

 days before being use.l-^have oue-ha t 1 1> bul 

 in • loaves mixed with it and firmly trod In 

 he aSsence of leaves, one-half the quantity of 



