82 THE FORCING GARDEN. 



The cost of such a pit may be fairly estimated at 

 361. more or less, according to the distance the bricks 

 have to be carried and the other materials, but I have 

 put the highest possible figure upon everything con- 

 nected with this pit. I have calculated 11. 10s. per 1,000 

 for the bricks, which would include the carting if not 

 too far from the kiln. The number of bricks required 

 for a pit sixty feet long and six feet wide, with single 

 work for the outside walls, six feet deep at the back, 

 four feet above ground, and two feet below the surface 

 all round ; with five feet deep for the brickwork in 

 front ; single bricks laid in cement for the sides of the 

 tank, and brick on edge laid in cement for the bottom 

 of the tank, will be about 7,849, perhaps a few more 

 or less. I have allowed 51. for a good boiler, connec- 

 tions and setting one of those tubular saddle boilers 

 at 3l. 1 6s. will answer the purpose well, and I have also 

 allowed 12s. per sash complete for the frame-lights, 

 which is ample ; 51. for floor tiles for the cover of the 

 tank, for the soil &c. to rest upon, and 4L or nearly so 

 for labour alone, which I am sure is ample ; so that it 

 will be found that this estimate is not much out of the 

 way. 



Now let us see what can be done in one year with 

 it in a commercial way so as to pay the cost. I will 

 suppose that the pit is completed and dry by Sep- 

 tember. In the first place, it may be filled with 

 Ehubarb, of which it would hold 360 very strong roots, 

 each of which would give at the least two pounds weight 

 of Khubarb, and this at 6d. per pound will be 181. This 

 Ehubarb would be all over in time for a second crop of 

 Melons, which would be as valuable as the first crop. 

 Supposing that 155 fruit only were got from this whole 



