349 



THE COLD PIT, ITS CONSTRUCTIOJNT AND 

 MANAGEMENT. 



ROM the professional gardener, who has to care for the numerous inmates 

 of, and provide the necessaries for a lar/re floral establisliment, to the 

 amateur with a square rod of flower garden, each and all are vitally 

 inturested in the well-being of the inmates of the cold pit ; and however 

 simple the construction and management of such a structure may 

 appear, every gai'dener can testify that the most assiduous attention does not always 

 meet with the success which might be expected — weeks of close wet weather, or a 

 period of severe frost, alike preventing the removal of the lights, spreading devasta- 

 tion among the inmates hy the action of accumulated moisture. Where one plant in 

 this structure is damaged or lost by frost (leaving sheer neglect out of the question), 

 a dozen fall a prey to damp. 



Although so much depends upon the health of the "hedding-out" stock for the 

 ensuing season, a gardener is almost wholly thrown upon his own resources for their 

 successful preservation through the winter. And sad are the shifts he is some- 

 times put to. A range of melon pits is about the only strncture which falls to his 

 hand in which to stow away loads of young stock ; or, failing these, a few crazy 

 old frames, or the forlorn hope — a " turf pit." As regards the last, I am sure every 

 gardener will join with mj in responding, " Good sirs, deliver us." But as it is not 

 likely any better receptacles will fall to our lot, we must make necessity a virtue, 

 and do the best we can with what we have. If Eobinson Crusoe had not been con- 

 tent with a huge mussel-shell for a spade, a beautiful avenue of trees would never 

 have graced his primitive habitation. 



Supposing, then, a range of pigeon-holed pits is to be employed for wintering 

 half-hardy jjlants, I shall endeavour to point out how to apply them to the best ad- 

 vantage. As a preparatory step, let every particle of mould or decaying vegetable 

 matter be removed from within the pit, and from the lining recesses, if the pits are 

 partially below the ground level ; and let the walls be clean and as dry as possible 

 before the plants are put in, A coating of whitewash in the interior woald be an 

 acquisition. Next construct a stage of openwork on which to stand the pots, as near 

 the glass as the height of the plants or other circumstances will allow. 



It is presumed that every plant will be thoroughly clear of decaying leaves, and 

 the surface of the mould and pots free from lichen or moss. Everything being in 

 readiness, on a fine day introduce your stock, and in proportion as you exclude 

 damp, so will you prevent the action of frost. I have said place your plants upon an 

 openwork stage. By such it will he evident that the atmosphere will have free 

 ingress through the "pigeon-holes" to circulate without interruption between the 

 plants to the upper portion of the pits. I am awaye that many whose opinions are 

 worthy of attention recommend plunging plants in cold pits ; hut from careful ob- 

 servation I conceive such to be a questionable practice ; and were we to enter into 

 the philosophy of the matter, I conceive it would be demonstrated as such. Of course 

 in frosty or damp and foggy weather, both the lights and the pigeon-holes will be 

 closed ; and circumstances may render it necessary that the latter may remain so 

 for weeks. Therefore, after the weather is such as to render protei tion necessary, 

 let the lining recesses be filled with long dry litter, such as can be easily removed ; 

 and when even the external atmosphere is of a nature to admit of the proceeding, 

 remove the litter from at least half the depth of the pigeon-holes, and tilt up or 

 wholly take off the lights. A current of dry air will pour in, dampness will he 

 absorbed and carried off, and the place endowed with a tenfold capability of resisting 

 frost, when compared with others not similarly situated. Recollect, the unripened 

 shoots of a plant absorb moisture rapidly, and from their healthy action should lose 

 much by respiration and simple evaporation. In the confined atmosphere of a pit, 

 these functions are rarely capable of being satisfiictorily carried on. Tlie result is 

 decomposition of the tissues of the young shoots ; and tha moment such takes place 

 the parts are attacked by minute parasitical fungi, which arc contagious^ and rapidly 

 spread to other favourable situations for their ('evelopraent. From this we infer that 

 every effort to render the atmosphere of the cold pit dry, or at least circulate it, should 

 he attempted. A damp circulating atmosphere Avould not be attended with half the 

 disastrous consequences of a stagnant one.^ G. 



