Vegetable growing . ill be close to the place where they are to be set,near a water supply, that the watering may be done easily HOT-BEDS 67 and cheaply, and near the dwelHng, so that the ventilationmay be done quickly, A slight southern exposure, if it canbe chosen, is to be preferred as it is warmer. Avoid placingthe hot-bed where it will be shaded at any time during theday by such objects as trees, fences, or buildings. The siteselected should be naturally or artificially drained to preventwater from collecting in the pit during heavy showers. Thelatter condition can be partially prevented
Vegetable growing . ill be close to the place where they are to be set,near a water supply, that the watering may be done easily HOT-BEDS 67 and cheaply, and near the dwelHng, so that the ventilationmay be done quickly, A slight southern exposure, if it canbe chosen, is to be preferred as it is warmer. Avoid placingthe hot-bed where it will be shaded at any time during theday by such objects as trees, fences, or buildings. The siteselected should be naturally or artificially drained to preventwater from collecting in the pit during heavy showers. Thelatter condition can be partially prevented by locating theframe on a slightly elevated position, and banking eartharound it, so that the land slopes gradually away from thebed. The frame always extends east and west with the lowerside toward the south, to permit as much of the sunlight toenter through the sash as is possible. Management.—The management consists in preparing theheating material and soil, sowing seed, watering, ventilating,and Fig. 45.—Forking over fermenting horse manure, previous to placing it inthe hot-bed pit. This treatment is necessary in order to promote uniformheating. Some form of protection is required to prevent rains from destroy-ing the heating properties of the manure. The Heat.—The heat provided artificially in the hot-bedis secured by using fermenting horse manure, spent hops,or tan bark. The first mentioned is commonly used. It iscollected fresh, free from litter, and mixed with about one- 68 CONSTRUCTION OF FORCING STRUCTURES third its bulk of straw or leaves, and then piled inider coverto heat. iVfter the pile has heated up thoroughly, it is forkedover into another pile in such a manner that the manureon the exterior of the first will be on the interior of the secondpile. After it has heated up well a second time, the manureis put in the hot-bed pit. To prevent settling, the heatingmaterial is put in layers 6 inches deep and each well pit is filled up c
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectvegetablegardening
