Pit for ^ and Culture of, early Cucumbers. 7l 



be fixed close under each rafter. The pillars and coping 

 would guard the trees against perpendicular rain and side 

 storms. When the crop is nearly over, vines may be intro- 

 duced in front for early grapes ; after gathering the crop and 

 ripening the vrood, the house may be thrown open, and the 

 panels removed to the north side of the peach trees, which 

 would not require glass till late in the season. 



The houses might be of any length, but both should com- 

 mand a good heat. A circular stage might be erected in the 

 vinery, for pots of vines, figs, or flowers. 



1 remain. Sir, yours, &c. 

 Wollaton, Sept. 16. 1829. J. Haythorn. 



Art. XXI. A Description of a Pit suited to the Culture of early 

 Cucumbers, arid of a Mode of cultivating them. By Mr. Ed- 

 ward Elliot. 



Sir, 

 I BEG leave to present to your notice a plan for growing 

 early cucumbers, which I have found to answer very well. 

 The plan is as follows : — Let a three-light pit be made of 

 the usual size, and having the appearance of M'Phail's plan, 

 except in the open work being stopped up ; the flues to be 

 continued round the sides of the pit, and one flue to go under 

 the bottom lengthwise in the middle, but no cross flues, as in 

 M'Phail's plan ; the sides of the flue in the bottom of the pit 

 to be filled up with broken bricks or stones, to make it level ; 

 the top of the pit, and the lights, to be as in general. Next, 

 opposite the two rails, about five feet from the front of the 

 pit, let two wooden trunks be sunk in the ground till they 

 come to a level at the top; the height of the trunks to be 

 about eighteen inches, the space in the middle to be about five 

 inches square. Then let two lead pipes be laid from the pit 

 to each of the trunks, one end of each pipe to enter the 

 trunk about half way to the bottom, the other end to be 

 applied to the pit: each pipe to emerge from the ground 

 about eighteen inches before it reaches the pit ; then with an 

 easy turn let each pipe be carried up the side of the pit; one 

 pipe from each trunk to ejiter the upper part of the flues ; the 

 other two to enter above the flues, one under each rail that 

 supports the lights. Next, let there be two pieces of small 

 pipe, about two feet long; let one of these pieces be applied 

 to each end of the pit near to the back leading from the upper 

 part of the back flue to the top of the pit, the back fluebeing 



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