501' Imjiirovements in ilie Kitchen-Garden 



but as that has not yet undergone any alteration, we have no 

 doubt it will eventually be enlarged so as to be in proportion 

 to the other departments. The asparagus and sea-kale beds 

 are cased with pigeon-hole brick walls, which admit linings 

 of dung or leaves 2^-ft. wide between, so that a crop is ob- 

 tained every year with less trouble and expense, and of a 

 better quality, than by any other method. These beds are 

 very complete, and the pigeon-hole walls, which sometimes 

 give way when not carefully treated, have a coping of cast- 

 iron, which coping, having two depending sides, holds the 

 upper course of bricks firmly in its place, and these retain all 

 which are below. We do not know who invented this mode 

 of forcing in brick beds, but we consider it by far the best for 

 main forced crops of sea-kale and asparagus ; and, we have 

 no doubt, it might be applied with equal advantage to forcing 

 potatoes, radishes, lettuces, turnips, carrots, cauliflowers, peas, 

 and many other kitchen crops ; some of which might require 

 to be covered with glass frames, or with hoops and mats, or, 

 as at BrittOn Hall, with wickerwork. 



The whole of the water from the roofs of the forcing-range 

 and bacl^ sheds, and from all the pits, is conducted by pipes 

 to a cast-iron tank {li) containing 20,000 gallons, out of which 

 are supplied a water-cistern in every house, and also a steam- 

 boiler, which is used in the forcing-houses for the purpose of 

 producing vapour at pleasure in any of the divisions. We 

 consider this reservoir of rain-water of great importance for 

 successful forcing, and the growth of plants generally ; no 

 water whatever being found equal to that produced in the 

 atmosphere, and the water of several subsoils being found 

 injurious to vegetation, especially to heaths and other Cape 

 and New Holland plants. For watering in the open air, the 

 water is drawn from this tank by a pump ii). There is also a 

 pump {Ic) of common underground water, for the purposes of 

 cleaning, in the back sheds and other places; a degree of 

 cleanliness being maintained, of which we have already (Vol. 

 II. p. 108.) pointed out the advantages. The whole of the pit 

 and frame department is enclosed with box hedges about 2J ft. 

 high, kept neatly clipped {III); and their effect, at all seasons, 

 is particularly handsome, rendering this part of the gai'den as 

 neat, and even as ornamental, as the part in front of the forc- 

 ing-range. 



The soils and composts are kept in a secluded department 

 [m\ and there is an excellent contrivance for delivering and 

 keeping the coals which well deserves attention. The coal- 

 house [n) holds upwards of 1 50 chaldrons ; all of which are 

 carried up ladders to the roof by the coal-merchant (who de- 



