FAMOUS ROCK RIVER VALLEY SEED FARM 
3 
Easy and PROFITABLE to Grow Early Vegetables 
and FLOWERING PLANTS MAKE YOUR OWN HOT BED 
Hot beds are generally made 6x6 feet in dimen- 
sion, with a pit 2 feet below the surface of the 
ground, well filled with fresh horse manure. The 
standard size hot bed sash most generally used is 
3x6 feet, glazed with 6-ir.ch glass. The size and 
kind of sash does not make any difference with your 
growing plants. (See picture of hot bed where a 
common window sash was used with splendid re- 
sults.) You all have an extra window around the 
place somewhere that is not working and paying 
its own storage. Get it working for you. If you 
will notice the picture you will see part of the cross- 
bars are cut off. This is done so the water will 
run off and not leak through and damage your 
growing plants. Standard hot bed sash have no 
cross-bars. If you want standard hot bed sash you 
can buy them cheaper from the mills which manu- 
facture them than from any one handling as a 
Home Made, But It Does the Business side line onl y; therefore we are glad to refer you 
to Gordan Van Tine Co., Davenport, Iowa, or the 
Chicago Millwork Supply Co., Chicago, 111. If you will mention our name when writing them, we are sure 
they will use you right. By all means get your hot bed started this winter. Grow your own cabbage, 
cauliflower, pepper, egg plants, tomato, celery, asters, pansy, verbena, cosmos, petunia, salvia, and in 
fact any plants desired. If you do not require over a dozen plants yourself, you can sell all you grow 
at a good profit to your, neighbors. Think this over; it is worth money to you. 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOT BED and COLD FRAME 
and HOW TO MANAGE EACH PROFITABLY 
SOIL 
For a hot bed heat is secured from a bed of fer- 
menting manure set in the frame below the ground 
level. The plants are grown in soil placed to a 
depth of five to eight 
inches over the manure. 
A cold frame consists 
of four boards joined to- 
gether to form a frame 
which is set upon the 
ground and covered with 
sash. The heat secured 
comes from sunlight only. 
Hot beds should be 
placed free from walls, so 
there will be space on all 
sides. A location facing 
the south or southeast 
should be selected, pro- 
tected on the north and 
west by buildings, walls or bushes. Frames should 
face the south and be placed so that no shade will 
fall upon them during the day. It is usual to dig 
the pit about eighteen inches to two feet deep. Fresh 
horse manure containing plenty of straw is most 
desirable for use in the pit, as it gives a quick, 
intense heat. Before placing it in the ground it is best 
to prolong fermentation as long as possible by mix- 
MANURE 
ing it thoroughly every 2 or 3 days while in the pile. 
Before adding the soil the sash should be placed 
over the frame for three or four days while the ma- 
nure reaches a good con- 
dition. When the soil is 
finally placed in the frame 
to a depth of from five to 
eight inches it should be 
allowed to remain for 
about four days until it 
becomes warm and the 
weed seeds germinate. It 
should then be carefully 
raked and pressed down, 
and your hot bed is ready. 
The hot bed should be 
made about two weeks be- 
fore the seeds are sown. 
The sash should be raised 
a little every morning for ventilation. To retain 
the heat the sash should be closed at night, and 
when it is extremely cold it is best to cover the 
beds with boards or old blankets to prevent the 
plants from becoming chilled. 
Bank the frame above ground with straw, manure 
or other litter, with a little soil thrown over to hold 
in position. 
H 
UJ 
UJ 
CM 
WILL GLADLY FURNISH FREE UPON REQUEST FORMULAS FOR 
SPRAYING FRUITS, SHRUBS, ETC. 
