194, 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 6, 1864. 



so much, as for potted plants. Some place the boxes so 

 filled with plants under shelves and stages in houses, or 

 in cellars, and sometimes, but rarely, in houses where light 

 and air can be afforded. When placed under stages one-half 

 the plants perish by the drip of the plants above them. 

 They are liable to wither in a dry cellar, and to damp-off in 

 a wet one ; and boxes in a house of any kind, unless made 

 neatly and well painted, are eyesores. I have hitherto con- 

 sidered that there are conveniences at hand to do without 

 these makeshifts, and that any one interested in a garden 

 can derive pleasure from seeing the places where the supply 

 of plants is kept to furnish the flower garden in summer. — 

 G-. Abbey. (To be continued.') 



CULTIVATION OF THE MELON. 



(Continued from 'page 153.) 

 Heating by means of hot-water tanks is an admirable 

 means of supplying bottom heat to Melons. Fig. 9 is the 



Fig. o. 

 section of a pit well adapted for the Melon or Cucumber. 

 a, a, a, a, Are compartments of a cemented tank containing 

 about 6 inches deep of water, separated from each other by 

 cemented brick walls one brick thick. This tank is covered 

 with slates, which are laid without mortar on the division 

 and side walls of the pit. Where there is a rather large 

 hole between the slates advantage is taken to place an ordi- 

 nary three-inch drain-pipe with one end over it, or a still 

 better plan is to place these drain-tiles over holes made by 

 taking the corner off a slate where it rests on the division- 

 wall, and 2 feet apart. A few inches of rubble placed on 

 the slates, and a sod grass side downwards upon it, will pre- 

 vent soil getting down to openings between the slates ; and 

 whilst allowing the superfluous water of the soil to pass 

 away, will also prevent the steam from the tank rising too 

 much through the rubble into the soil, and making it sour 

 or sodden, at the same time the advantages of a moist 

 bottom heat are secured. The drain-pipes standing on end 

 pass through the soil into the above space, b, b, and through 



front. The ground plan, A, shows the circulation of the 

 water, which enters the tank at a, and makes its exit for 

 the boiler at b. 



5?*,* 3 ,2 



SO* 



J£ 



Fig. 10. 



Fig. 10 is a lean-to house about 12 feet wide inside. The 

 pipes for bottom heat are in a tank, a, a, which is about 

 three parts full of water. The tank is covered with flags or 

 slates, but so placed that an opening 2 inches wide is left 

 between them and the walls on which they rest. This 

 allows the steam to rise ; and openings being left, or a piece 

 of 1 A-inch pipe let through the walls of the pits, one end com- 

 municating with the tank and the other with the house, the 

 atmosphere can be made moist, and when not wanted the 

 pipe may be covered with a cap at b, b, b. A moist heat and 

 an increased temperature is therefore obtained. The house 

 is ventilated at top, c, and in front by means of boards 

 hung in the centre, and which can be opened much or little 

 at pleasure. The air entering there is wanned by the hot- 

 water pipes before it reaches the plants, e, e, Are spaces 

 for soil over the tanks. There are two pits and two sets 

 of plants as shown, one occupying the half of the house in 

 front, and the other the upper part, and there is a shelf for 

 plants at the back, /. 



Fig. 11 is a section of a pit useful for growing almost any 

 kind of plant. Like the preceding, the pipes for bottom 

 heat are in a tank of water, a ; but they might be kept dry 

 in a chamber, or be surrounded with rubble. In front is an 

 open cavity in the wall, and by means of a wooden venti- 

 lator air is admitted at b, becoming. heated before it reaches 

 the plants. The small lights are made to open by lifting 



* 3 



5\H- 



10 



Plan a: 

 them rises a nice moist heat, which can readily be kept down 

 by placing a flat piece of slate over the ends of the pipes, 

 c, c, c. In addition to the heat ascending by the drain-pipes, 

 top heat is furnished by two four-inch hot-water pipes in 



Fig. 11. 

 up with a crank, &c. There is space for soil at c over the 

 tank, a shelf at back for plants, and a walk at back for con- 

 venience. The Melons are trained to a trellis. — Gr. Abbey. 

 (To be continued.') 



