THE HOTBED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 July 1940, Page 9

THE HOTBED

HOW TO MAKE IT. The making of a hotbed is the most economical method of utilising fresh manure, as the heat it generates is sufficient to raise all kinds of seedlings and later on, the manure can be used for enriching the soil. The heat is gentle and steady. Plants raised on a hotbed are not subjected to sudden fluctuations of temperature and the seedlings grow into sturdy plants with less attention than those which are grown in the greenhouse. " The hotbed is formed by placing an ordinary frame on a heap of fermenting manure. The manure must be fresh so that when turned, steam is seen to escape. As soon as the manure arrives, pile it up in a conical heap and let it remain for two or three days, then turn the heap inside out to prevent the centre from becoming too hot. This process should be repeated again in a. few days, when the manure should be ready for use. When making up the bed it is advisable to mix an equal quantity of dried leaves to prevent the heat from becoming too fierce. Select a well drained sheltered position for the hotbed. Tread the manure firmly as the building proceeds, for this ensures a steady generation of heat. When completed the heap should be about three feet in height and large enough to take the frame with a margin of at least one foot all round it. A hotbed of this size will provide a steady heat for several weeks, then the heat can be maintained by the addition of linings of fresh manure or lawn mowings. . ■ Before the boxes or pots of seedlings are placed in the frame, however, the sash should be left open for a few days to allow the surplus of rank steam to escape, after which it may be closed to create a warm atmosphere. For testing the heat of the bed a thermometer should be used. Failing a thermometer, a stout stick will be a rough guide as to heat. Plunge the stick into the centre of the manure and leave for a few days, then withdraw it. If the stick feels pleasantly warm when grasped, the temperature is correct. but if it is too hot to hold, repeat the testings until the right temperature is obtained. The bed is then ready for raising plants from seeds or cuttings It should be noted that cuttings roof very readily in this moist, bottom heat.