CONSTRUCTION OF HOT-HOUSES. 277 



structed ; and we find plants thriving, and plants 

 not thriving, in all kinds of stoves, pits, &c. The 

 culture of pine-apples is attended with a heavier 

 expence than that of any other fruit under glass ; 

 especially if they be grown in lofty stoves, the erec- 

 tion of which is very expensive, and the keeping 

 up proportionally more so, than that of humbler 

 stoves, or flued pits. 



But, independently of all considerations of ex- 

 pence (which may not be valued by some, provid- 

 ed they can obtain good fruit), pine-apples may 

 certainly be produced in as great perfection, if not 

 greater, and with infinitely less trouble and risk, in 

 flued pits, if properly constructed, than in any 

 other way. I would therefore have the pinery de- 

 tached from the other forcing-houses, and to consist 

 of three pits, in a range ; one for crowns and suck- 

 ers, one for succession, and one for fruiting plants. 

 The fruiting pit to be placed in the centre, and the 

 other two, right and left ; forming a range of a 

 hundred feet in length ; which would give pine- 

 apples enough for a large family. 



The fruiting pit to be forty feet long, and ten 

 feet wide, over walls ; and each of the others to be 

 thirty feet long, and nine feet wide, also over walls. 

 The breast.wall of the whole to be on a line, and to 

 be eighteen inches above ground. The back-wall 

 of the centre one to be five feet, and of the others, 

 to be four and a half feet higher than the front. 

 The front and end flues to be separated from the 

 bark-bed by a three-inch cavity, and the back flues 

 to be raised above its level. 



