404 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



growing for the London trade. His first house for this purpose, if 

 house it may be called, was an ordinary lean-to against a brick wall ; 

 it is about 20 yards long and 10 feet wide. In front of this is another 

 of the same length and width, but with a span-roof, also a little glass 

 under the front plate. These structures are low, but to get headroom 

 a pathway is sunk along the middle, perhaps a yard deeper than the 

 ground-level. On either side of this pathway is a long wooden trough 

 from end to end of the house. These troughs are the most noticeable 

 feature of the whole affair. They are of rough inch boards, from 2 feet 

 G inches to 3 feet wide, and 10 inches deep ; the soil used being de- 

 cayed turf, full of vegetable fibre, mixed with decayed horse-droppings. 

 The troughs are not quite filled at planting out, and as the mass gets 

 filled with roots, a slight top-dressing is from time to time applied 

 of nothing more than road-grit and well-decomposed horse-droppings. 

 The idea is a proper one, that slight dressings, frequently applied, 

 maintain health without over stimulating. The point most noticeable 

 is the small modicum of soil allowed the plants to grow in : they stand 

 about two feet apart ; they are grown with straight stems, about a 

 foot or eighteen inches long ; and trained on temporary trellises, one 

 foot from the glasses, which is evidently not far enough, as both cold 

 and sun affect them a little at that distance. The heat is supplied by 

 flues — that is, 9-inch socket pipes put together with cement do duty 

 as brick-flues. A row of these pipes is carried along on either side 

 under the middle of the troughs. In excavating the path the side 

 earth is left ; on the top of this run these pipe-flues, almost close to 

 the bottom of the troughs in which the plants grow. This flue is the 

 only means of heat ; in severe weather straw mats are put on, and 

 found of great service. The cubical contents of one of these structures 

 is very little. The objects to be heated are all suspended free from the 

 ground ; and limited as the surface is, it can readily be covered up to 

 economise the heat given off inside. The plants which have been 

 in bearing all spring and summer were put out in the early part of 

 winter ; the object being to have plenty when the demand is good. 

 It is curious to note how one thing affects another. This season 

 salmon has been at times moderately cheap, and consequently cucum- 

 bers have sold well. The quantity of fruit produced in these small 

 houses is something marvellous. We shrink from a statement lest 

 we should be charged with exaggeration. They are cut three times a- 

 week, and supplied direct to the consumers, only the rough ones are 

 sent to the market for what they will bring. The sort this grower 

 prefers above all others is Sutton's Perfection. Telegraphs and various 

 other esteemed sorts are grown, but no sort is equal with him to Sutton. 

 At our last visit, August 12th, the plants were exceedingly healthy. 



