HOSACKIA 



west American plants. The genus contains about 30 spe- 

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

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

 2 to many l£ts. : stipules minute and gland-like, rarely 

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

 bels which are peduucled or not. The gonus is closely 

 related to Lotus, liut the calyx teeth are shorter than 

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

 none of which are like stipules, while Lotxis has calyx 

 lobes usually longer than the tube, a rostrate keel and 

 5 or 4 lfts.,of which 13 or 1 are stipule-like. 



The 2 species Brst mentioned belong to a section in 

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

 straight, glabrous: Hs. and fr. not reHoxed : peduncles 

 long. The third species belongs to a section in which 

 the pods are long-atfenuate upwards, incurved, ]iul)es- 

 cent : peduncles short or none: 11s. and fr. retlexed. 

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



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

 brous : Ifts. 9-l"p, thickish : stipules searious, small: 

 bract below the umbel : calyx teeth short : pod thi<-k: 

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



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

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

 long as the tube : iiod slender : Hs. 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 : uml)elg less dense: stipules glainl- 

 like: pods pubescent. •^- jj 



HOTBEDS. These are low glass structures that arr 

 generally heated by fermenting vegetatjle substances, 

 such as stable mamire, although tire lieat is <.iccasioiially 

 applied, steam, hot water and Hues biMtig used. 'I'lieir 

 usual place is some spot sloping to the si.iuth. whei'e 

 they are protected by buildings, everi::reen screens or 

 board fences, from the north and wesr winds (Fig. l(lliii). 

 The frames are made either of planic or tioards and m;iy 

 be portable, or built in place, the former being tal<en 

 down and packed away except when needed. A ti:^lit 

 board fence G feet higli, as a wind-break, is desirable, 

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

 and sa^h 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 (Pig. 1097) are used they are 

 generally constriicted of 2-inch plank, the side pieces 



HOTBEDS 



773 



1096. Hotbed sheltered by a hedge. 



The stratv macs have been rolled off. 



heing 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 trivine: a slope to the south, which will permit the 

 water to run otf and favor the passaa:e of the sun's rays 

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



but taper from 1.5 inches at one end to 9 or 10 at thn 

 other, so as to lit the side boards. The plauk fur 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 iu 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 tli^^ frame in place, cross-strips of 



J njv^ 



1097. Hotbed with movable frame. 



board 3 inches wide are sunlc into the upper edge every 

 .'t fnet, and another strip with a width equal to the thick- 

 ness of the sash is fastened on vAf;e to the center of 

 its side. Frames of this size require a slightly deeper 

 mass of heating material than wuuhl be necessary for 

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

 winter, it is well to excavate to the depth of 214 feet, 

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

 and after the hole has been tilh-d with heating material, 

 the material sliould be well trami)ed down. The franje 

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



For pernnment frames, rough 1-iuch boards may be 

 nsrd, alt-hnngli L*-inch plank will be found far more 

 durable. Stoiir, staki-s should be driven into the ground 

 aJii'Ut 4 feet apart, where the north line of the bed is to 

 lie locati'd. These should projri'tal)nve the surface from 

 12 to l.") iuclies, and should be bnarded up from a point 

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

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

 stakes should then be driA^en at a distance from the first 

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

 feet, althoui^rh other lengths are sometimes used. The 

 south wall of the fraute shouhl then be boarded up so 

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

 after which Ihe end should be closed and cross-pieces 

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

 prevent frost from working into the frame, soil should 

 I.)e taken from the inside and IjaTiked against the boards 

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

 the top of tin.' frame, and wlu-n the bed is ready for use, 

 3 or 4 inches of liorse manure shouhl be spread over 

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

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

 tlleys abutit 7 feet wide between them. 



Hotbed S'l sJi . — The size that has been found most 

 s-itisfactory for Hotbed sash is 3 by 6 feet, as wJien 

 1 \rger than this they are not readily handled by one 

 man. "While pine and other native lumber maybe used; 

 L^l-ress is generally preferred, as it is much more dur- 

 nl le and costs but little if any more than clear pinp. 

 The sides and tipper ends of the sash are made from 

 \ by iK-iuoh strips, grooved to receive the glass, while 

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

 irp 1 by 1^2 inches. For glazing Hotbed sash, single 

 treugth 10 by V2 glass is commonly used, as three rows 

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

 trength glass will be less easily broken, the increased 

 weight is an objection to its use. The sasb shonld re- 

 (.("ive two coats of paint, and after tlie glass, which may 

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

 given a third coat. 



31a fs and Shuffers. — For covering the frames on 

 cilJ 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 

 siugle 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. 



Heatinq 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 



