238 



JOURNAL OF HOETIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 1, 1888. 



plants in pots the pit may vary in depth according to the 

 size of the plants, and in the generality of cases need not exceed 

 2 feet (j inches in front, and 4 feet at back. For Calceolarias, 

 Verbenas, Gazanias, Lobelias, and similar plants, the first- 

 named depth is quite suiBcient, but as we may require drain- 

 age, and shall need soil, we will excavate 2 feet, making the 

 excavation wider than the required breadth by 2 feet 6 inches. 

 The section of the excavation will appear as shown in liy. 1, 



Fig. 1. 

 the soil being taken out 2 feet deep in front, and only 6 inches 

 at back. This will give a good slope to the front, and will 

 answer quite as well as going down the same depth at back as 

 in front ; and in digging it out let the soil be thrown clear of the 

 excavation, to the north of the pit. 



The walls are to be built hollow, and may be 4 J inches in thick- 

 ness, with a 4j-inch cavity between them. Commence by laying 

 a course of bricks all round, and headers, so that there may be 

 an 18 inch base for each double wall. The inner walls are to have 

 the first course of the 4J-wofk laid pigeon-hole fashion, and in 

 or on asphalt instead of mortar, and the course of bricks above 

 it also set in asphalt, but the remainder of the work should be 

 done in mortar. Within a course of bricks from the top half 

 a brick should be left out at every 3 feet, commencing at 

 18 inches from the end ; and a 3-inch earthenware pipe ought 

 to be introduced through the openings left in the outer walls, 

 and having a bend it will fit exactly, and come somewhat above 

 the ground level. The course above the openings must have 

 a heading course of bricks, and this so as to close the cavity, 

 and for the front I would recommend it to be laid in Portland 

 oement, but at least make the joints good by pointing with 

 cement. The back course I would supplement, after the frame 

 is put on, with a course of bull-nose firebrick on edge, and 

 make the joints good with Portland cement. 



The frame, of red deal, may be 44 by 3 inches, and that of the 

 lights 2i by 2 inches, the sash-bars 2 inches by Ij inch, and in 

 place of chamfering the edges on the under side, or beading or 

 moulding, rebate them for glass the same as the upper side, 

 and Tou will have means for double glazing. Paint with three 

 coats of white lead and oil, and put in the inner or under side of 

 the lights 15-oz. glass without a lap, and use no putty, but 

 secure with a light wood moulding. Glaze the outside with 21-oz. 

 sheet glass in the ordinary way. Tiie whole of the wood- 

 work should be well puttied and painted, and made drip-proof, 

 and a 3-inch semicircular iron spout should be fixed in front 

 to the frame to carry the water from the lights. 



Fig. 2. 



We have in the pit, jit]. 2, a winter mean temperature of 38°, 

 or we have that temperature in the earth, and may have it in 

 the pit providing sufticient covering be given to retain it. 

 Though sunk in the ground the pit will be fairly dry, for the 

 walls, a a, will keep damp from the inner walls, b h, and damp 

 cannot rise up them on account of the lower courses being laid 

 in a-.-phalt. Any water accumulating in the area or cavity, c c, 

 will descend to the bottom, and pass, as regards the back, into 

 the drainage through the pigeon-holes, whilst the front will 

 take the water from the drainage, and that in the front cavity 

 sliould communicate with a drain. Any damp rising in the 

 cavities is to be dissipated by removing the woodplugs that close 

 the pipes, d d, which will cause a change of air in the pit at 

 any time, and that may be effected without opening the lights 

 in dull, damp weather, when the heat of the pit is deficient. 



Much may be done in the way of securing more heat by keep- 

 ing the lights closed in sunny days, and ventilating through 

 the pipes, d d ; and another use of the pipe ventilators is, when 

 the external air is warmer than 38% they may be opened for a 

 few hours in the middle of the day, and a change of air thus 

 given the plants, as well as the temperature increased, and this 

 without removing the covering. The pipes all have wood plugs, 

 kept close when the atmosphere is below 38°, and open when 

 above that temperature, day and night. 



The lights being double-glazed a more uniform temperature 

 is secured, and the temperature is not so quickly lowered, 

 such lights being equal in protection to a single covering of 

 mats. No water can enter the cavities from above ; it is cut off 

 by the cemented course of bricks, and the water does not run 

 from the lights and enter the ground by the front wall, and 

 make that wall wet, but is taken off by the spont. The soU is 

 placed all round the pit, level with the under side of the wood 

 frame, or level with the course of bricks set in cement. We 

 have, therefore, the full benefit of the heat of the earth. With- 

 out protection 10° of frost will be kept out when not of longer 

 contmuance than an evening, or a night, and with a 9-inch 

 covering of dry straw, or litter of any kind, which must extend 

 over the pit as far as the pipes, d d, the pit is proof against any 

 frost occurring in our climate ; but a Ginch covering will in 

 most cases be sufticient. The covering put on should remain 

 day and night so long as the ground continues frozen ; but in 

 case of fine days, when the frosts at night are thawed before 

 midday, the covering should be daily removed, and replaced on 

 the approach of frost. The pit should not have less than 

 G inches of drainage, two-thirds of coarse material, and then 

 one-third of finer, finishing with 6 inches of soil. 



To winter plants safely, it is necessary that the soil be kept 

 dry. The plants, therefore, should be rooted in good time, the 

 cuttings of all kinds being put in in August, except those of 

 Calceolarias, which are best put in duriog October, just before 

 frost ; and the plants should be well hardened off, and the soil 

 dry by October. The reason of many plants being lost in 

 wintering, is that they are struck late, are succulent in growth, 

 and very susceptible to cold. So long as the foliage of the 

 plants does not flag, the soil cannot be too dry. — G. Abbey. 



MARECHAL NIEL ROSE. 



The Bath Horticultural Society is one which Nature most 

 assuredly seems to smile upon, for it possesses a charm in 

 having almost, as a matter of course, a fine day, and a splendid 

 one it was on the 'Jth of September, and a wonderfully good 

 show, taking into consideration the intensely hot summer we 

 have experienced. 



Tent No. 1, filled with a rich displav of fine-foliaged plants. 

 Ferns, Cacti, and cut flowers in great abundance, is that to 

 which I wish to draw the attention of the readers of The 

 JouKNAi. OF HoKTicoLTHRE, and let them imagine one hundred 

 and fourteen fine blooms of Marcehal Niel Rose being exhibited 

 by Mr. Samuel Pavitt, Rose Cottage Nursery, all in different 

 stages of development. A glorious sight they were, clearly 

 proving that this choice variety can be successfully cultivated 

 in the west of England. Mr. Keynes, of Salisbury, had also 

 some remarkably high-coloured blooms. 



Mr. Pavitt's were cut from a number of robust and healthy 

 plants growing in his garden. This Rose is there budded on 

 the Briar, which seems to suit it in every particular, as num- 

 bers of blooms in all stages are now (September 1.5th) to be 

 seen in the garden. There is no mistake about its being a free 

 bloomer, and I know no reason why it may not prove quite 

 hardy when thoroughly established. 



What a fine sight it would be at any future exhibition, if 

 some spirited nurserymen and amateurs were to agree to grow 

 a number of plants of select varieties, and exhibit boxes of 

 such Roses as Marechal Niel, Cloth of Gold, Gloire de Dijon, 

 Souvenir de la Malmaison, with Hybrid Pepetuals Alfred 

 Colomb, Charles Lefebvre, John Hopper, and Comtesse Cecile 

 de Chabrillant. If these were shown together in a tent de- 

 voted expressly to them, what could be more beautiful ? and 

 does not he who has written this article wish he may live to 

 see such a sight ! — An Ardent Lover of Roses, Bath. 



Potatoes and Hops. — We have been obliged by the follow- 

 ing oflicial returns from the Statistical Department of the 

 Board of Trade. The average of land in Great Britain under 



