GLASS STRUCTUKES xVND APPLIANCES. 



227 



ments in the frame-culture of flowers, fruit, and vege- 

 tables have never been surpassed ; and those modes 

 of heating are even yet, in these days of hot water, 

 steam, and telephones, still within reach of every 

 amateur in the land. A load or two of manure, tree- 

 ieaves, spent tan, cocoa-fibre refuse, and the sense to 

 use them aright, are all that are needed to grow 

 Melons and Cucumbers to the highest perfection ; 

 and when these have done their good work, the 

 residuum, em-iched with house-slops, forms the best 

 manure for the kitchen and flower garden. 



How many even keep a horse and trap in their 

 business, who cannot afford to purchase either boiler 

 or pipes to heat pits, or houses to gsow Melons or 

 Cucumbers! Nor need they. "With a glass pit, 

 six or seven feet wide, built on pillars, and from 

 four to twelve feet in length — that is, a one, two, or 

 three-light pit — ^the manure from horse or pony 

 would sufiSce to keep it warm enough for the pur- 

 pose. Let it be thrown into the lining as taken 

 from the stable-doors, and occasionally the whole 

 mass should be tumeid over, allowing the steam to 

 rise against the false bottom in the pit. If any 

 excess of heat should arise, the shutters could be left 

 off till it evaporates ; if not sufficient, a little more 

 or better manure must be thrown in. But, on a 

 small scale, the frequent supply will sustain the 

 temperature sufficiently high for the wants of the 

 plants. On a larger scale, heaps of manure are kept 

 in a prepared state for the renewal of linings ; the 

 whole system of preparation and compoun/iing of 

 materials being elaborated into something like a 

 caloric science, so that heat may be given to or with- 

 held from pits warmed with decomposing matters, 

 with almost as much despatch and precision as the 

 turning off or on of a hot-water tap. 



The Shading of Pits Of all sorts of fixed 



shading, such as that of "sun-cloud" showered on 

 with the syringe, whiting or paint brushed or stippled 

 over the glass, or permanent lath or wooden shading, 

 60 often seen in France, it may be said they do more 

 harm than good. Still at times, and during such 

 tropical weather as we have in some summers, with 

 few or no clouds for months, and the sun reaching 

 90° or more in the shade for nearly weeks together, 

 more or less shade is often of the highest value to 

 plants in pits. The northern aspect affords sufficient 

 shade for store-pits ; but Pine-apples, Melons, and 

 Cucumbers cannot be grown in a northern aspect in 

 our climate. The leaves of the former, though they 

 seem so hardy, almost horn-like, are easily scorched, 

 and when once scorched they are ruined alike func- 

 tionally and in appearance. Cucumbers, again, are 

 better for shading in bright weather, and unless such 

 sun-loving plants as Melons are occasionally slightly 



shaded towards the finish, they are apt to lose their 

 foliage prematurely, a contretemps wliich is quite 

 fatal to their perfect finish and full flavour. Port- 

 able shading of thin canvas, tiffany, or hexagon or 

 other netting is the best. 



The Covering of Pits.— This is generally 

 needful in very severe weather. It is of little uso 

 guarding the front and back and side walls securely 

 if the frost is allowed free course through tho 

 weakest parts of pits, the glass lights. A very thin 

 covering suffices to check tho loss of heat by radia- 

 tion. During severe weather a thicker covering 

 will be needed to hinder tho pits from being emptied 

 of their caloric through conduction. Mats are still 

 the most popular of all coverings for pits. They 

 are, however, about the worst. Double mats, with a 

 layer of hay, straw, or other litter between, are ten 

 times as eJEcient. But reed or straw frames, a little 

 larger than the lights, so as to cover the entire sur- 

 face, rafters and all, are the most efficient. EoUing 

 straw or reed mats, made specially for the purpose in 

 long lengths, are almost as efficient. These, however, 

 as well as mats, need heavy rails at the top and 

 bottom of frames to keep them on in windy weather. 



The Giving of Air to Pits. — ^Without enter- 

 ing into the vitally important question of ventila- 

 tion, which shall have separate treatment, it may be 

 stated here that the worst mode of ventUating pits 

 is that of pushing every alternate light down a few 

 inches and dragging the next one up almost to the 

 same extent. This creates and sustains a through 

 draught, the worst possible for the growth and 

 health of plants in pits and frames. The almost 

 equally common practice of pushing down every 

 light, or every other one, six inches or a foot, as the 

 case may be, is almost equally bad, as this enables 

 the cold air to tumble down headlong on to the 

 crowns of the plants. The safest, simplest mode is 

 to tilt every light, or every other light, up one or 

 more inches with a thin wedge-shaped piece of deal ; 

 and in order that these may be always at hand 

 when wanted, they should be tied or chained on to 

 the wall-plate at the back of each Ught, with fas- 

 teners sufficiently long to enable them to be used 

 without' being detached. This may seem a small 

 matter, and so it is, but it is on a series of such 

 trifles that success or failure in the culture of plants 

 in pits — and, indeed, in all other places out of dooro 

 or in — turns. 



Finally, in this nrntter of giving air to planta in 

 pits, remove all air from tender plantc, si\ch ac 

 Pines, Cucumbers, Melons, early^say by 4 p.m. — • 

 and, per contra, leave the lights of store-pits wedged 

 up aU night, unless dining the coldest weather. 



