222 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



I Maroh SO, 1666. 



centre of euob truss diea off first, lea\-iiig a blank space, and 

 giving a very dingy look to the bed. While the process of cross- 

 fertilisation is gradually introducing into the Zonale section 

 the desired tints, I may be behind the age in preferring sym- 

 metry to laggednesa, but I really cannot help it. — D., Deal. 



THE AMATKUKS AND COTTAGERS FORCING 



PIT, AND PIT FOR GENERAL PURPOSES. 



I H.vvE sometimes obtained the character of a retrogressionist. 

 because in those days of heating by hot water I have now and 

 then had a good word to say for brick and iron stoves, and the 

 old-fashioned stoves, as the cheapest at first and by far the 

 most economical afterwards for heating small places. I am 

 fully aware of the pleasant and safe heat obtained from hot 

 water with means of evaporation at command ; and I believe 

 that there is no other mode so economical when several houses 

 and pits have to be heated from one boiler, as then there is 

 only one chimney to take away the heat unappropriated by the 

 water ; but in all such cases of economy there is always the 

 risk of the one boiler giving way at a critical time, when all 

 the houses heated from it might be greatly injured before the 

 boiler could be repaired or a fresh one substituted for that 

 which is faulty. Then, on the other hand, when a boiler heats 

 only one or two small houses there will always be a waste of 

 heat up the chimney unless there is a longish flue, no matter 

 how careful you are with the damper and the ashpit-door, and 

 that due carefulness will rarely be exercised unless by the 

 person who has the strongest reasons for doing all this in the 

 best and most economical way. After considerable practice 

 I have come to the conclusion, that for keeping frost out of a 

 small house where a temperature of not more than 40' or 4.5° 

 ifl required in cold weather, nothing beats a well-built brick 

 stove, fed either inside the house or from an opening outside 

 the wall ; and where a higher and more regular heat is wanted 

 in a small place, then I conclude that nothing for first economy 

 and future economy in fuel will compare with a small well- 

 built Hue. 



In former volumes I have several times alluded to the many 

 things that farmers might grow from the beat of the manure 

 and litter in their yards, and amongst the rest have instanced 

 Cucumbers, as there would almost always be plenty of fer- 

 menting material to apply as linings to cither frame or pit to 

 keep up the requisite temperature. Influenced by such re- 

 marks from myself and other friends, many artisans, mechanics, 

 and the better-to-do labourers, have bought their two, three, 

 or more loads of farmyard dimg, prepared it properly for a 

 Cucumber-bed, and placed a frame over it, finding that the 

 manure paid itself well when ultimately transferred to the 

 garden or the allotment. Many, however, failed to succeed 

 with Cucumbers according to their wish, because they began 

 too early, and, though they obtained enough of heat at first, 

 they could not afterwards afford manure to keep up the heat 

 by linings. Those who can obtain only a load or two of fer- 

 menting manure should be content to put the most of that 

 underground, set the frame on it, and plant out in May, de- 

 pending chiefly on sun beat after the plants are fairly in growth ; 

 but then, if disposed to sell, much less in comparison will be 

 obtained for tlie fruit than if it were produced in May and 

 iTune. This difficulty in obtaining fermenting material, and 

 the additional trouble in preparing and watching it to secure a 

 regular heat, have led some of our enthusiastic amateurs among 

 our artisans and tradesmen to try other modes of effecting 

 their object. 



For many years the most successful in cutting early Cucum- 

 bers among unprofessionala in this immediate neighbourhood 

 has been Mr. Attwood, boot and shoe maker, in the pretty 

 Tillage of Lilley, four and a half miles from Luton and Hitchin. 

 As there are now the Messrs. Attwood, father and son, and both 

 equally enthusiastic in gardening, it need not be wondered at 

 that the garden is a picture of neatness and good taste. Until 

 about three years ago Mr. Attwood used the old-fashioned 

 frames for his Cucumbers. Never have I met with a better 

 example of the rest and the zest which are obtained, not from 

 doing nothing, but merely from a change of labour, every 

 run out from the seat to the frames, or a short spell in the gar- 

 den, imparting fresh vigour for prosecuting the regular profes- 

 sional work. In the gloamings from autumn to spring — those 

 witching moments of the twUight between the fading of the 

 light of day and the lighting of the lamp, in which so many of 

 us like to indulge in a quiet dreamy mood — again and again 



have I met Mr. Attwood with barrow or bag, scouring the roads 

 and lanes, collecting withered grass and tree leaves to add to 

 his valuable fermenting heap. These sources of supply gradu- 

 ally became more meagre, the collecting of them more labori- 

 ous, the purchasing of fermenting material more precarious, 

 and little to be depended on ; and it became apparent that a 

 pleasant and a profitable hobby must be given up, or other 

 means of obtaining heat resorted to, and what I call the model 

 pit for such amateurs was the consequence. 



This pit, 5 feet in width and 25 feet long, outside measore, 

 is a very neat-looking affair, and was built and is worked very 

 economically. I dare not say how much, or rather how little 

 it cost, as with the exception of the flues and the tanks of 

 Portland cement on the top of the flues, the work was mostly 

 done by Mr. Attwood, junior. During the heating season, the 

 cost for fuel is from Is. to Is. 3d. per week, and Cucumbers are 

 generally turned out about the beginning of March. There hod 

 also been a collecting of brickbats and old bricks for some time 

 previously, but all the flues and part of the walls were now 

 bricks, purchased at the market price. The simpUcity of every- 

 thing secures the first and ultimate economy. 



I shall now describe this useful pit as it stands, of wliich the 

 figure is a cross section, and drawn roughly to a scale of 4 feet 

 to the inch. 



1, Is the bottom of the pit, formed of brickbats, stones, etc. 



2, Back wall of pit, 3 feet 8 inches in height, 2 feet 4 inches 

 above the ground level (9J. This wall is formed of single bricks 

 on bed — that is, 4 J inches wide, or nearly so, bound with a wood 

 plate at top of the same width. 



3, Front wall built in the same way, 3 feet 4 inches in height, 

 and 2 feet above the ground level. 



4, 4, Flues along the front, round the farther end, and along 

 the back to a small chimney. These flues can scarcely be more 

 simple or substantial. Suppose on the floor of the pit, close 

 to the furnace end of the front wall, you level a space 10 inches 

 wide all the way round to the furnace end of the back wall ; or, 

 if you choose, in that length of 55 feet or thereabouts, you 

 make your level, so that at the furnace end of the back wall the 

 level will be 2 or 3 inches higher than where you began, though 

 if all is a dead level it will do well enough — on this level place 

 a layer in mortar of brick on bed — that is, 9 inches wide, which 

 will form the bottom of your flue. Then on each side of this 

 nine-inch base set, with good mortar, a brick on its side — that 

 is, 4i inches deep, connect these crosswise with another brick 

 on bed, with good mortar bttween the joints, and your flue is 

 made, leaving a hoUow .space for the heated air of from 4 to 

 4j inches wide and the same in depth, which is amply suffi- 

 cient to secure from 70° to 80° even in cold weather. You will 

 perceive that the base and the sides of the flue abut against 

 the outside 4 1 -inch walls, and 



5, 5, The inside walls, which are built with brick on edge — 

 that is, 2i inches wide, with a couple of wider piars in the 

 length ; buUthe walls have stood very well. 



6, Shows a little hot dung, put in the bottom of the pit to 

 help to heat the soil sooner. 



7, Is 18 inches deep of soU for the Cncumbers. 



8, Represents small spars of lath that go across the openings 

 between the walls to prevent the vines of the Cucumbers falling 

 down. It has been noticed that Cucumbers that bang down 

 above the flues gi-ow more quickly and straighter than those on 

 the bed ; but for the slight expense of a treUis right across, we 

 would have it, and have the earth in the bed lower to permit 

 of it. 



9, 9, Is the general outside level of the ground, which per- 

 mits of work being done easily either from the back or front of 

 the pit. 



A few supplementary remarks may here be added. 

 First, The stokehole is sunk at the end and covered \rith a 

 flap door, and is snfGci*Dtly low to permit the fumBce-bars of 



