20 D. M. FERRY k GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



Making the Bed 



This requires careful attention as future success depends large^ upon the manner in which this work is done. 

 Having cleared away snow and ice, build a rectangular bed one foot larger each way than the frame to be used. 

 Carefully shaking out and spreading each forkful of manure and repeatedly treading it down so as to make 

 the bed as uniform as possible in solidity, composition and moisture. It is of the utmost importance that this 

 shaking apart and evenly pressing down of the manure should be carefully and thoroughly done; unless it is, 

 one portion will heat quicker than the other and the soil will settle unevenly, making it impossible to raise good 

 plants. 



The proper depth of the bed will vary with the climate, season and the kind of plants to be raised. A shallow 

 bed will quickly give a high temperature which will soon subside; a deeper one, if well made, will heat more 

 moderately, but continue much longer. For general purposes, a bed about two feet deep will be best. 



The bed completed, the frame and sash may be put on and fresh manure carefully packed around the outside 

 to the very top (if the weather is at all severe, this outside banking should be replenished as it settles). The 

 bed should then be allowed to stand with the sash partially open for a day or two to allow the steam and rank 

 heat to pass off. 



The earth should then be evenly distributed over the surface of the bed and carefully leveled. The earth 

 should not be shoveled or dumped in one or more places in the bed and then leveled; if this is done uneven settling 

 of the bed invariably results. Care should be taken that the soil is dry and friable. If wet or frozen soil must 

 be used, it should be placed in small piles until well dried out before spreading. The heat at first will be quite 

 violent, frequently rising to 120 degrees, but it soon subsides and when it recedes to 90 degrees the seed may be 

 planted. The importance of using dry soil and allowing the first rank heat to pass off is very great. Every 

 season thousands of hotbeds fail of good results from these causes and seedsmen are blamed for failure resulting 

 from overheat, or wet, soggy soil. 



Management of the Bed 



The essentials for success are a steady uniform degree of heat and moisture; keeping the soil at all times a 

 few degrees warmer than the air and the careful "hardening off" (by exposure to the air and diminishing the 

 supply of water) of the plants before transplanting into the open air. Simple as these may seem to be, there 

 are many difficulties in the way of securing them, prominent among which is overheating the air under a bright 

 sun. 



Without experience one would scarcely believe how quickly the temperature inside of a well built hotbed 

 will rise to 90 or 100 degrees upon a still, sunny day, even when the temperature outside is far below freezing, 

 or how quickly the temperature will fall to that outside, if upon a windy, cloudy day the sash is left open ever 

 so little. A rush of cold air driven over the plants is far more injurious than the same temperature when the air 

 is still. Again, in cloudy weather, a bed will go several days without watering, but will dry up in an hour when 

 open on a sunny day. 



Cold-Frame 



A cold frame is a simple construction of boards for wintering over young plants, Cabbage, Lettuce, Cauli- 

 flower, etc., and is also useful to protect and harden off plants from the greenhouse or hotbed before fully 

 exposing them in the open air. 



Select a dry, southern exposure, form a frame from four to six feet wide and as long as required. The back 

 should be fourteen to eighteen inches high and the front eight to twelve, with a cross-tie every three feet. The 

 frame may be covered with sash or cloth. Seeds of the vegetables to be wintered, sown in open border early 

 in September, will be ready to plant in cold frames about the last of October. The soil should be well prepared 

 and smoothly raked before planting. Admit air freely on pleasant days, but keep close in severe weather. 



These frames are particularly useful in the south and may be covered more cheaply with cloth shades than 

 by sash. The shades are made as follows: Make light but strong wooden frames to fit over the bed: and of a 

 width to receive some common brand of cotton cloth. The cloth may be unbleached and should be stretched 

 over and securely tacked to the frames. We have found that Plant Bed Cloth, which we have for sale, is superior 

 to any ordinary cloth for this purpose. 



Transplanting 



In transplanting, the main points to be regarded are: Care in taking up the plants so as to avoid injury to 

 the roots, setting out as soon as possible to prevent the air coming in contact with the roots, setting firmly so 

 as to enable the plant to take a secure hold of the soil and shading to prevent the hot sun from withering and 

 blighting the leaves. Where a rank or soft growth of tops has been made in hotbed it is frequently desirable to 

 trim off some of the larger leaves before taking up to transplant ; this will retard too rapid evaporation of moisture 

 from the plant and usually will prevent wilting. 



In transplanting from a hotbed, harden the plants by letting them get quite dry a day or two before, but 

 give an abundance of water a few hours before they are taken out. It is most apt to be successful if done just 

 at evening, or immediately before or during the first part of a rain, about the worst time being just after a rain, 

 when the ground being wet it is impossible to sufficiently press it about the plant without its baking hard. If 

 water is used at all it should be used freely and the wet surface immediately covered with dry soil. 



Watering 



The best time to water plants is early in the morning or in the evening. Water may be given to the roots at 

 any time, but should never be sprinkled over the leaves while they are exposed to bright sunshine. If watering 

 a plant has been commenced, continue to supply it as it is needed, or more injury than good will result from 

 what has been given. One copious watering is better than many scanty sprinklings. The ground should always 

 be stirred with a hoe o: rake before it becomes so very dry as to cake or crack. 



