FORCING-PITS OR GREENHOUSES. 65 



and very effective. The movable sash is not hinged at 

 the bottom, but is held in place by two small plates of 

 iron screwed on the gutter plate. The ridge-poles are 

 cut out of the shape shown at J, and the sashes lie on 

 the shoulder. The interior arrangement of the pits will 

 be easily understood by the end section. G shows the 

 bench or table as it is completed, which is filled with five 

 or six inches of soil, in which the Lettuce, etc., are to 

 be grown. This shows the boxing-in of the pipes, Z), 

 to give "bottom heat" to the cuttings, seeds or plants 

 that are placed on the bench ; but on the sides of the 

 bench, along the walk, one plank is hinged throughout 

 the house, so that it may be let down when required and 

 permit the escape of heat into the greenhouse. The 

 walks through the house, K, are two feet wide. A 

 brick shed, A, covers the boiler-pit, / 7 , and is at- 

 taehed to the north end of the pits* Besides breaking 

 the wind at this vulnerable point, we find this shed a 

 most excellent place for many purposes, as it is kept 

 from freezing by the heat that escapes from the boiler- 

 pit, which would otherwise be lost. This heat may be 

 turned to a very profitable account in forcing Mush- 

 rooms or Ehubarb, if desired for that purpose. 



The system of attaching three pits together is now 

 almost universally adopted by commercial gardeners in 

 all houses erected during the past twenty-five years in 

 the neighborhood of New York ; it has great advantages 

 over the detached system, being less expensive in heating, 

 more saving of space, and, above all, far more economical 

 in cost of construction. I prefer having only three to- 

 gether, for the reason that when we have the snow to 

 clear away it is quickly done by being shoveled from the 

 two valleys or furrows over the ridges ; although we have 

 one grower in this neighborhood who has twelve con- 

 nected houses, and finds but little trouble with snow. 

 Our snows being mostly from the north, the shed breaks 



