THE PINE APPLE. 



171 



.extent ; he brings forward the plants in hot-beds 

 and deep frames, inclosing beds of tan, and heat- 

 ed by linings of dung. As an economical part of 

 the construction, we may mention that he substi- 

 tutes wattled hurdles for the lower part of the 

 frame, in contact with the tan, by which means a 

 saving in the first cost is effected, and the heat of 

 the dung penetrates much more readily to the tan. 

 Most of the plants are fruited in these pits, but 

 some are fruited in a house, (Jig* 21.) which 



" though furnished with flues, yet these have been 

 very little used. The heat imparted to the plants 

 is produced by the fermentation of stable-dung in 

 a pit below the plants, the top of which is covered 

 by tiles supported by iron rafters, with the joints 

 closely cemented, to prevent the passage of steam 

 into the house. The pots are neither bedded in 

 tan, nor in mould, but stand on the tiles, and the 

 interstices between them warm the air of the house." 



