134 FRUIT GARDEN COMPANION. 



clear, built so as to admit three feet of glass in 

 height in the front ; and, the back, which should be 

 of brick, of a height to allow an elevation of forty 

 five degrees when the roof is put on, which should 

 be all of glass, will answer a good purpose. In 

 the inside of the house a pit may be built of brick, 

 six feet wide and four feet deep. The pit may be 

 in the centre of the house which will admit a walk 

 four feet wide each side of it, and the same or more 

 may be allowed at the end. 



A pit of this kind may be turned to good ad- 

 vantage in the winter for preserving lettuce, celery, 

 and other vegetables which only require the frost to 

 be kept away from them. About the beginning of 

 'March the pit may be cleared out and a quantity of 

 hot manure put into it, to make a moderate hot-bed, 

 which, when the heat begins to rise, may be earthed 

 with good soil a foot deep, for the purpose of sowing 

 on it radish, cabbage, lettuce and such early salads 

 and plants as are wanted for family use. A part of 

 the pit may also be used for forcing asparagus, pie 

 plant, and any kind of perennial herbs, as mint, jar- 

 agon and the like ; indeed a bed of the kind may be 

 made generally useful. The culture and heat re- 

 quisite for such plants will be also congenial to start- 

 ing the vines, in a strong, vigorous manner. A few 

 green-house plants may be accommodated in the 

 vinery, placed on the top of the pit, and back of the 

 house ; but I cannot, by any means, recommend it 

 to be entirely appropriated as a green-house to win- 

 ter plants, which in the -spring must be much injured 

 by being shaded with the vines, and the heat and 

 moisture requisite for the vines being quite contrary 

 to the health of green-house plants. On the other 



