THE 



AMERICAN 



GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, 



MARCH, 1836. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. On the Construction of Brick Pits for early Forcing; 

 to ivhich is added the Cidtivaiion and Forcing of the Cucum- 

 ber; taken from Hoi'ticuUural Memoranda, and exhibiting 

 the State of their Progress from January until September. 

 By the Conductors. 



(^Continued from Vol. I, p. 401.) 



JOURNAL. 



January 20th, 1832. — The weather, all the month, up to 

 this date, has been very fine, and accompanied with but little 

 severe cold, the thermometer indicating an average temper- 

 ature, at one o'clock, P. M., of about 4° above freezing 

 (32°). Considerable snow lies upon the ground, which fell 

 in the month of December last. Preparations, however, 

 have been made, to put the pit into operation. The soil 

 which remained in the bed (about four inches in depth) be- 

 ing somewhat frozen, the sashes have been placed on, and 

 the front doors covered with straw or hay : at night, the 

 sashes have been covered with mats and hay, in order that 

 the heat from the sun during the day might be retained. 

 One or two squares of glass which were broken have been 

 repaired, and everything put in readiness to proceed with 

 the forcing. [We have memoranda taken from the year 

 1830 to the present time. The reason why we select that 

 of 1832, is, that we were more successful in our mode of 

 cultivation than the two years previous. The quantity of 

 fruit was considerably greater, and the vines much more 

 luxuriant ; the forcing was also commenced nearly two 

 months sooner. From the latter cause alone, we have se- 

 lected the above named year, as the later forcing is com- 



voL. n. — NO. ni. 11 



