THE PINE APPLE. 131 



about seven feet wide within walls, but some are 

 as wide as fourteen feet, with the front wall six 

 inches above ground, and the back wall two feet 

 ten inches. The sashes in these broad pits are in 

 two lengths, as in hot-house roofs ; none of them 

 have any flues, being all heated together, with the 

 hot-houses, and various other descriptions of pits, 

 by an extensive steam apparatus. This apparatus 

 was erected by Mr. Mainwaring, of Blackfriars, 

 and is one of the most complete of its kind, ex T 

 cepting in the circumstance of the steam-pipes 

 having what are technically called spigott and 

 faucet joints, which, it is alleged, are more apt, 

 by their contraction and expansion, to allow the 

 escape of the steam than the Jianched joints. The 

 advantage of the former mode of jointing is, that 

 the steam-tube contracts and expands in parts ; 

 and, of course, that this contraction and expan- 

 sion must be very trifling on every part ; whereas, 

 when iron tubes are joined by flanches, they be- 

 come, in effect, one tube ; and the contraction, 

 or expansion, takes place throughout their whole 

 length. 



Soil. Good garden earth, enriched with well- 

 rotted hot-bed dung ; the soil of the open garden 

 at Earlscourt, is a rich black loam, and seems to 

 suit the Pine Apple as well as virgin earth brought 

 from a distance. 



General management. Much the same as that of 

 Mr. Andrews. Mr. Gunter tried to substitute the 

 heat of steam for that of tan, as a bottom heat, but 



K 2 



