MEL ONS STR UCTURES. 



supplied by fermenting material, especially in brick pits used in winter and spring for 

 protecting or forcing vegetables, and afterwards for melons (M, Fig. 4) ; and in other 

 cases by hot-water pipes fixed in the bed and surrounded with rubble (N, Fig. 4) ; it 

 is also furnished by hot- water pipes in a chamber beneath the bed (0, Fig. 4), and is 

 then suitable for early or late melons. 



Where fermenting material is used, the pit (Jfcf, Fig. 4) must be filled quite up to 

 the rafters with that properly prepared, well beaten and trodden firmly, so as to prevent 

 the bed falling too low, and causing the plants to be at too great a distance from the glass. 



"When hot- water pipes supply bottom heat, 6 to 9 inches of rubble, such as half- 

 bricks, should be placed over them, and a layer of turves an inch thick, grass downwards, 



B 





Fig. 5. THEEE-QUAETEES SPAN-BOOFED AND SPAN-BOOFED MELON HOUSES. (Section through 02, Ground Plan, Vol. L, 



page 71.) (Scale: -& inch = 1 foot.) 



References : A : o, hot-air chamber; p, 4-inch hot-water pipes ; q, bed ; r, ridge of soil ; s, trellis ; t, l|-inch 

 hot- water pipes ; u, front lights ; v, top lights ; w, path ; x, ground level B : y, hot-air chambers ; 2, 4 -inch 

 hot-water pipes ; a, slate slabs ; 6, bed ; c, rubble ; d, ridges of soil ; e, trellises ; /, 1 J-inch hot- water pipes ; g, side 

 lights ; h, top lights ; i, path. 



put on the rubble to prevent the finer soil from passing into it. In the case of the 

 bottom heat being supplied by hot-water pipes in a chamber, the covers, whether 

 flagstones, slate slabs or boards, must not be laid in mortar, but have the joints open, 

 and a little rubble placed on to prevent the joints becoming choked with soil. 



The small lean-to ( 0, Fig. 4) is best adapted for early supplies of fruit, as in a dry 

 site it may be sunk in the ground as shown, and with roof heat (hot-water pipes, m) the 

 glass cannot become coated with ice. This is very important in early forcing, and the 

 provision is equally necessary for a three-quarters span-roofed house, which is suitable 

 for providing early and late melons of the choicest quality. This form of house 

 (Fig. 5) and the lean-to's must face the south. 



