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THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



§ 8. Branching Wallflower-leaved. — 

 This group has the character of § 3, but with 

 the leaves glabrous as in § 7. The only 

 variety in the collection referable here, and 

 this of good quality, was Light Blue (Car- 

 ter), pale blue or bluish-lilac. 



§ 9. Spike-flowered Wallflower-leaved. 

 — This has a narrow unbranched or very 

 shortly-branched spike-like inflorescence, 

 similar to that which occurs in § 6. The 



variety mentioned below was distinct and 

 handsome. White Wallflower-leaved (Car- 

 ter), white, dwarfish, and compact. 



The varieties mentioned above under the 

 names of Dwarf Crimson (§ 2), Victoria 

 Scarlet, and White Branching (§ 3), Dwarf 

 Crimson and Sulphur (§ 7), and White Wall- 

 flower-leaved (§ 9), are stocks of first-rate 

 quality, and highly-deserving of general 

 cultivation. 



THE COLD PIT. 



The conservatory, the greenhouse, the stove, 

 and the orchard-house, admitting, as they 

 do, of an endless variety of form and feature, 

 present a never-failing source of pleasurable 

 industry to the patrons of the floricultural 

 art ; and, judging from the rapid increase of 

 these structures, they appear to stand high 

 in public favour, more so among amateurs 

 than the cold pit, which also has advantages 

 not possessed by the others. A greenhouse 

 or orchard-house may be built where a cold 

 pit would be out of place, and may be 

 adapted to its peculiar purpose or position ; 

 yet, where the situation is favourable, the 

 latter may be regarded as second to none in 

 real utility, especially in furnishing matter 

 for the table, as many a delicious early crop 

 of asparagus, potatoes, carrots, etc., can attest. 

 Indeed, it is in this way that the true merits 

 of the cold pit become prominent, many have 

 loudly exclaimed against it as being trouble- 

 some and fallacious, because they have failed 

 to make it answer all the purposes of a green- 

 house, and know not its real use ; fur, al- 

 though the purposes to which it is applicable 

 are numerous, and greenhouse plants may be 

 kept in it during the winter with moderate 

 care, yet the cold pit is best adapted to 

 bringing to perfection in the spring time 

 such crops as do not come to perfection before 

 the summer when out of doors, as growing 

 early salads, as they become more tender and 

 better flavoured for the protection ; or to 

 winter cauliflowers and lettuce plants, or any 

 plants that are not quite hardy, or are the 

 better for a slight protection, whether in pots 

 or otherwise. If the cold pit is kept to 

 such purposes, there will bu no fear of dis- 

 appointment as to results. Of course (his is 

 speaking merely with regard to the colder 

 portion of the year. Daring the summer, 

 cucumbers, melons, mushrooms, etc., may be 

 grovrn in the cold pit ; tomatoes, capsicums, 

 and such like do well there ; or, in the floral 

 way, cockscombs, globe amaranths, and all 

 tender annuals may be cultivated to perfec- 



tion, retaining a more dwarf and stocky habit 

 than when grown in the greenhouse ; in fact, 

 the many purposes to which it may be applied 

 are better suggested by local circumstances 

 than by being enumerated here. 



A pit of the most convenient dimensions 

 for general use would be about six feet from 

 back to front, to stand three feet six inches 

 high at the back and two feet in front ; the 

 length to be from six to twelve lights, each 

 of these to be three feet six inches wide, and 

 of a length to reach the middle of the back 

 and front plate; neither plates nor slides to 

 have square edges, but rounded off, that there 

 may be less chance of water resting on them. 

 This should be built in a well-drained situa- 

 tion : if the soil is naturally retentive, the 

 whole space to^be occupied by the pit should 

 be dug out to the depth of two feet, a drain 

 laid through it, and then filled up with 

 coarse ballast. Where the walls are to rest, 

 this should be well rammed down, and a layer 

 of concrete placed thereon ; where this is 

 done, it is unnecessary to carry the brick- 

 work below the surface. A nine-inch layer 

 of bricks should be first laid, and, if well 

 put together, four-inch brickwork is sufficient 

 for the walls. When the plates are on, they 

 should be kept in place by iron clamps, which 

 should descend the whole depth of the brick- 

 work. It is often found convenient to divide 

 the pit into compartments of two or more 

 lights each, by means of brick partitions. 



A builder who considers his own credit 

 and his employer's satisfaction, as much as 

 deriving an exorbitant profit from the trans- 

 action, ought to build a pit of this descrip- 

 tion for ten pounds, more or less, according 

 to length. Many attempts arc made to 

 substitute turf for brick in building the 

 walls. Now, whatever may be the case in 

 country places, where bricks and mortar are 

 not so readily obtainable, it cannot be con- 

 sidered a saviug near London to build with 

 turf, which is apt to crumble, and to which 

 it is difficult to fix the plates firmly ; nor is 



