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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 20, 1863. 



of the clay beneath raised 15 feet, so that the soil's surface 

 retains the old level with surrounding objects ? 



It is quite possible for small depths of bog-earth to disappear 

 in consequence of drainage, and yet the soil beneath to appear as 

 high as before such disappearance, because the banks around the 

 enclosure, if resting on the bog-soil, would sink in proportion as 

 that bog-soil sunk. — Eds. J. of H.] 



PITS, AND THEIE, FAILURES. 



It is very unpleasant for people of hopeful or sanguine tem- 

 perament to hear of crosses or failures in matters where they ex- 

 perience or anticipate success. I am not, therefore, surprised to 

 find that my former remarks about small pits Bhould call forth 

 words of disapproval on account of the doleful and discouraging 

 character they bore. Still the facts are as stated, although the 

 deductions might not be the best. It is easy to imagine how the 

 most inappropriate and badly-designed structures might not 

 only be turned to good account, but that results of a more than 

 ordinary character might be produced from them in the masterly 

 hands of Mr. Fish, in the same way that an eminent chemist, in 

 his early days as an experimentalist, produced wonderful results 

 from the use of tobacco-pipes and other crude appliances, that 

 few ordinary men could or would use. I can also understand 

 how a clever amateur may work a small pit to advantage, where 

 another would be unable to make anything of it. And it is to 

 this same cleverness that some little merit should be awarded ; 

 for if every one who undertook the management of a pit or 

 greenhouse could manage it to perfection at first starting, 

 where would be the great merit, or where the superiority of one 

 gardener over another ? It is just to allow that readers are to a 

 certain extent acquainted with the subject treated on, and, 

 doubtless, most of the readers of The Joubkai oe Hoeti- 

 cuiTcnBE are well informed in gardening matters ; but then it is 

 possible to allow too much, and as a proof that I have not 

 recounted all the mishaps that have occurred with regard to 

 email pits, and that there are people in the world who do take 

 such matters in hand without proper thought and care, I will 

 relate one or two more instances of failure. One man built a 

 turf-pit of 20 feet by 6 feet, and 4 feet high at back, furnished it 

 with a brick stove and flue, part brick and part pipes. The first 

 winter, having Bpent 12s. for coke, he did not keep a Bingle plant 

 of 500 Scarlet Geraniums — the stock put into the pit during 

 the autumn. Another built a good, sound brick-pit of eight 

 lights ; and finding that it did not answer his expectations, and 

 that he could not perform wonders with it at first starting — 

 like a person buying a fiddle under the impression that with it 

 he is buying an ear for music and a talent for playing — he gave 

 up in disguBt all care about it. Another built a pit of wood 

 6 feet high at back, 18 feet long by 6 feet wide, as near as I 

 could judge from sight. This also was furnished with a brick 

 stove and flue. The man was both ingenious and persevering. 

 He tried many methods of making it profitable and useful, but 

 with only partial success, for of ail garden structures these small 

 places require the most constant and watchful care. A change 

 in the weather will sometimes unexpectedly make a fire burn up 

 clear and strong, endangering the lives and health of the plants, 

 and where a man cannot always be on the spot, as is mostly the 

 case where snch places are built for recreation, he can scarcely 

 give them the attention required. 



I could give other instances, but it would be only a waste of 

 space to do so ; I will therefore merely observe that I have myself 

 had the care of a small pit heated with flue-pipes, and made it 

 answer all the purposes for which it was intended, and in a way 

 that would to many be perfectly satisfactory ; but not so to me, 

 since, being in the habit of weighing the cost and labour with 

 the results, the latter would lose considerably in comparison 

 with those of a pit properly furnished with hot-water pipes, &c. 

 Nor would the hot-water pit want half the care and watchful- 

 ness required by one heated with a fine. 



I should never for a moment object to a good-sized greenhouse 

 being furnished with flues, for some of the best plants and best 

 fruit have been grown in houses so heated. Nor would I 

 attempt to discourage any one from trying to do his best in 

 the way of cultivating plants. It is rather for encouragement 

 that I would caution the inexperienced against being misled by 

 the notion, that because a clever and experienced gardener can 

 produce good results from barely adequate means, they have 

 only to become possessed of like applicances to be able to do as 



much. If a person's means enable him only to build a pit, why 

 not be content at first with plants that are easily grown ? or if he 

 have only a frame, is there less merit in filling it with healthy- 

 looking Intermediate Stocks, or choice Jb" icotees or Pansies, than 

 in giving himself no end of labour in trying to keep tender 

 plants, which at best do him little credit ? 



In this neighbourhood there has been of late years too much 

 attention given to plants of warmer climates — that is, by the 

 poorer horticulturists j while the equally pretty and useful 

 plants that will, in a great measure, stand the rigour of our 

 climate, and are far more easy to cultivate, are scarcely thought 

 of. This has been the reason why many whose means did not 

 allow of building a greenhouse have substituted a pit, and not 

 finding the result up to their expectations, discourage the attempts 

 of others. 



In referring to my former remarks (which probably bear a 

 more melancholy character than I intended), "R. F. " says that 

 the mishaps there enumerated were more the result of simple 

 mistakes than of necessity. He was right. When a man builds 

 a pit without any thought or care of what he will be able to do 

 with it, he makes a great mistake. If he burns his plants by 

 over-heating, he makes a mistake. If he builds the flue so that 

 the smoke and gas come through, he makes a mistake. In fact, all 

 failures are the result of mistakes, and it is when a man is able to 

 avoid mistakes that he can successfully cultivate plants. Again, 

 " B. F." says there is no necessity for poking your fingers into the 

 parlour fire on a cold, frosty morning. I for one should be very 

 careful not to approach the fire with my hands, were they very 

 cold, for I have experienced that sensation caused by the sudden 

 reaction in so doing, and do not wish to experience it again ; 

 although it is a common occurrence to see people rush to the 

 fire, and almost, if not quite, poke their fingers into it, and 

 many of them have to smart for it afterwards. This is not 

 unlike those who rush too thoughtlessly into pit-building. 



Why I mentioned charcoal as a good fuel for heating- a small, 

 pit, is because a very small fire may be kept going with it, and 

 in some places it is comparatively cheap, although here it is 

 very dear ; still I may be wrong. But this I do know, that 

 I have kept the frost out of small greenhouses by means of a 

 small cylindrical iron stove in which charcoal was . burnt ; the- 

 Btove being placed inside the greenhouse, and bo arranged as to 

 burn slowly. 



Some years ago the wet got into the roof of a brick-built shed ; 

 the rafters rotted, and the roof had to be taken off. At my 

 desire a glass roof was placed on instead. There was no stage put 

 in, bnt the place was soon filled with Oranges, Camellias, Azaleas, 

 Neriums, and such plants. They have always done well, and 

 grown as if the plaee suited them exactly, and I have used no 

 means of keeping out frost but a charcoal stove, and this has 

 answered the purpose. Makeshifts are very well where a gar- 

 dener is always near to look after them ; but makeshifts are not 

 exactly suited to those who pursue gardening as a recreation, for- 

 they often involve such an amount of labour as destroys every 

 semblance of pleasure, unless labour be regarded as a pleasure. — 

 F. C. 



WALKS. 

 {Continued from page 785.) 

 Walks made oe Beoken Stojte ob Bbick. — With the ex- 

 ception of walks formed of gravel, and, perhaps, ashes, the above- 

 form the most important materials of which walks, public or 

 private, are made ; and the comfort which walks of this kind 

 present is visible in most country turnpike roads, where the 

 pedestrian often prefers the middle of the road in clean weather 

 to the prepared footpath, even when the latter is good. But 

 turnpike metal, as the stones are called, will not easily of them- 

 selves form a good footpath without the aid of wheel carriages t 

 therefore, however good they may be in forming the foundation, 

 something else must be used at top less hurtful to tender feet. 

 The same kind of stones may, however, be broken smaller, and 

 in that condition they form a very good surface by rolling, etc. 

 It not unfrequently happens that the inmates of workhouses 

 are employed in breaking stones to the size required, and in such 

 caseB they are to be had at a much more reasonable price than, 

 when broken by those earning proper wageB. The best stones I 

 ever saw used for this purpose, and which formed about the best 

 walk I ever saw, came from a lead mine, the hard, white-coloured 

 stone containing the ore being crushed by machinery until the 

 particles were not larger than boys' marbles, but, of course,. 



