364 



Calls at Suburban Gardens, 



Keens' seedling, will materially alter the character of the strawberry as a des- 

 sert fruit, and rank it with plums and peaches : for hundreds that were re- 

 quired formerly to make a dish, tens will now suffice. There are anal- 

 most countless number of hot-houses and pits in these gardens, occupied in 

 forcing strawberries, peaches, and grapes, and with pine apples; there is a 

 considerable variety in their construction, from the study of which, the 

 young gardener may derive some valuable ideas. The best house for the 

 early forcing of strawberries, Mr. W. considers to be one with a very steep 

 roof, and narrow {Jig. 91.); the plants'are kept 

 very close to the glass, and the upper row in 

 this, and in other houses, is watered from a flat 

 tin case 

 (fig- 92.) 

 of Mr. 

 W.'s in- 

 vention. 



An improvement in the construction of pine 

 pits consists in having an opaque roof over the 

 front flue, and a similar space opaque behind 

 {fig. 93.). Over 

 the flue, light is 

 not wanted, and 

 over the back row 

 of pines, Mr. W. 

 thinks perpendi- 

 cular light may 

 be dispensed 

 with; the result 



is a great saving of glass in the first construction, and the prevention of the 

 escape of heat, by so much opaque roof. Avery important practice consists 

 in covering all the pits and the houses, in early forcing, during night, with 

 boards. These retain much more heat than mats or canvass ; are less liable 

 to be displaced by wind; admit no rain, and do not abstract so much heat 

 by the evaporation of what may fall on them, as does any thin material ; 

 are more durable, and even more easily and quickly put on, and taken off; 

 as a last advantage, when taken off after rain, they do not require, like any 

 woven covering, to be spread out to dry. Mr. W. considers them as 

 saving a very large proportion of fuel, and every gardener knows that it 

 is much more congenial to plants to save heat, than to supply the continual 

 waste of it by smoke flues. The shutters are painted for durability, and 

 of a white colour, in order not to radiate heat. 



The strawberries in the open garden are chiefly Keen's seedling, and 

 Wilmot's superb, in rows 2 feet apart, and from 1 foot to 18 inches dis- 

 tant in the row : the ground at this season is mulched with clean straw, to 

 retain the moisture, and keep the fruit clean. While in blossom, they are 

 regularly watered by wheel-barrels, {fig. 94.) 

 which have a perforated cylinder, projecting 

 about 2 feet from one side {fig. 95.). A plug {a) 

 prevents the 



escape of the /ft 1 95 



water till the 

 barrel iswheel- 

 ed to the pro- 

 per spot; it has 

 a cord attach- 

 ed {b), to which 

 a bit of wood 



