14 



BULLETIN 43, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PREPARATION OP SEED BED. 



Should it seem desirable to take full advantage of the summer 

 season, time is gained by using a seed bed. (Fig. 5.) The area of 

 seed bed required for 20 acres of peppers is about 200 square yards. 

 During the experiments in South Carolina various types of seed beds 

 have been used. However, the arrangement herein described has 

 proved the most successful and, while somewhat more expensive than 

 other forms tested, is of the greatest value to the grower. It is con- 

 structed as follows: An excavation C> feet wide and 102 yards long is 

 made, having a depth of 12 inches. On the edge of this excavation, 

 at intervals of 10 feet around the entire bed, upright posts are erected. 

 On the inside of these posts and in contact with the wall of the 



excavation are nailed 



WM 





boards 12 inches wide 

 and 1 inch thick. The 

 posts on the side to 

 the rear are sawed off 

 2 feet above the level 

 of the earth, and those 

 on the front side 1 

 foot above. . There- 

 fore, three boards are 

 required for the rear 

 side and two for the 

 front, one board be- 

 ing necessary to bring 

 the weatherboarding 

 to a level with the 

 top of the ground. 

 The ends are weath- 

 erboarded with the 

 same material. Slats 3 inches wide and 6 feet long are nailed across 

 at intervals of about 3 feet. In the center of each of these strips and 

 running parallel to the edges a strip 1 inch square is nailed. Two of 

 these strips support the glass frame in position. The frames are 3 

 by feet. 



After the framework is constructed and before it is put on, a layer 

 of stable manure about 4 inches in depth is put in. On top of this 

 about 4 inches of dirt is added. This is well leveled down and the 

 seed sown and raked in with a garden rake. The bed is then covered 

 with the glass frames. A force pump with hose connection may be 

 bioiiglit near enough to the bed to make applications of water as 

 often ;is needed. The seed is planted about the middle of March, 

 though a month earlier would be preferable. Within about three 

 week- the plants arc up. During the period of growth a ver} 7 light 



Fig. 5. — A cold frame in which pepper plants are grown. 



