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both methods they arc formed by a low furrounding bvick 

 wall, about a yard in height in the internal pits, and in the 

 external ones three or four feet in front, by four or five in 

 the back wall. Thefe different forts of pits are indifpen- 

 fably ntceffavy, where bark-beds arc intended, to make the 

 beds in, as the Ihort loofe nature of the tan will not admit of 

 being formed inco compaft regular beds, without the aid of 

 fueli kinds of inclolcd pits to confine it clofe together within 

 the limits that are requifite in the formation of the beds. 



For various purpoi'es, bark-pits are necefTary in all hot- 

 houfes or ftoves, and occafionally in forcing lioufes, &c. . 

 And detached bark-pits, diflinft from the liot-houle, are 

 likewife very ufeful in all exteiiiive gardens on many occa- 

 fions, being of great fervice in the culture of many forts of 

 tender exotics, and in raiiuig various kinds under different 

 methods of propagation; as well as for railing and nurfing 

 thofe of fimilar kinds in their y-oung and tender growth ; 

 alfo occafionally for forcing and railing early prodaclions 

 of feveral forts of hardy plants in the greateft pcrfettion. 



The bark-pit of a hot-houfe, &c. is an eflcntially neceffary 

 interior compartment, and which, as before obferved, is the 

 internal cavity wlicivin the tan or bark hot bed is made, ex- 

 tending lengthways, and occupying almoll the whole bottom 

 fpace of the houfe, except about two feet on each fide and 

 ends, which is referred for an alley or walk round, between 

 the outward wall and that of the pit, which fho\ild be but 

 very little funk below the general fuvface of the floor of the 

 furrounding walk, and formed by a thin wall of brick-work, 

 generally raifed, the greater part, three feet high above the 

 furface, the bottom being paved with brick or ftone, &c. 

 and in which tl'.e bark-bed being made to the whole width, 

 length and depth, feives both to plunge the pots of the more 

 tender exotics in, fuch as t!ie pine-apple, &c. in order that they 

 may receive the kindly moill heat thereof immediately al;out 

 their roots; and, at the fame time, to diffule a peculiar be- 

 neficial warm vapour for heating the internal air, affiittd by 

 fire-heat in the flues in winter ; but fufHcient alone in fum- 

 mer and autumn; producing, from f.lay till Oclober, an 

 effectual temperature of internal heat, for the prefervation 

 and growth of various tender exotic plants of the ilove kind, 

 natives of difi'erent parts of the hot regions of South Ame- 

 rica, Alia, and Africa. See Bark-Bed, Hot-House, 

 and Stove. 



Hot-houfes, or ftoves of the common viidth, have in 

 general only one pit, extending lengthways of them as de- 

 fcribed above; but if they arc of confiderable extent in 

 length, the pit is fometimcs divided in the middle by an in- 

 tervening pafTage, to render it more convenient in perform- 

 ing the neceffary culture of the plants. 



Some hot-houfes, however, of vcrv great width, have two 

 internal bark-pits ranging parallel lengthways with an alley 

 or paffage extending between them, which renders them more 

 commodious in giving the requifite culture to the plants 

 that are plunged in the beds, than if the whole was in one 

 extremely wide pit, in which it v.^ould often be verv incon- 

 yeiiient to come at the plants placed towards the middle of 

 them ; fo that two parallel pits, four or five feet wide 

 each, become more ehgible than one of eight or ten feet, 

 and by having an intervening palTage, give a larj;cr fcope 

 .nnd afford a better current of air, for the growth <j'^ the 

 plants in the beds, as well as admit of vicwino- them to 

 greater advantage and ctfeift. 



Detached or external bark-pits are exterior ereftions, fe- 

 parate and diftinct from the hot-houfe or Hove, but in fome 

 manner connected with, or appertaining to them, being, on 

 many cccalions, employed for fimilar ufes, as well as for 

 various other puryofes, where occafional artificial heat is 



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wanted. They arc, as has been obferved, fo>ir, five, or fix 

 feet wide, having fuch length as may be required; formed 

 by a furrounding wall of brick-work, thtee or four feet high 

 in the front, byfuur, five, or fix behind, where fometimes 

 flues for winter fire-heat are erected in the upper part ; the 

 whole being covered at top with moveable glals frames, 

 floping fouthward to the full fun, and in which, a bark-bed 

 being made to the whole width, length, and depth, becomes 

 an ufeful appendage to the ftove ; afiilling in the culture of 

 various tender exotics of that repofitory, cfpecially in tlie 

 way of a nnrfcry-pit, for railing and prelerving them to 

 fome advanced ilate of growth; aifo occafionally in the pro- 

 pagation and protedion of the more tender kinds of green- 

 houfe plants, or any particular, curious, or tender exotic 

 plant, of the full ground, as being always ready, and prepared 

 with a continuing growing heat, wherein to plunge the pots, 

 where artificial heat is required, or eflentiaily neceffary iu 

 raifing fuch tender plants more eii'eclually and cxpeditioafly. 



Thefe kinds of bark-pits alfo prore exceedingly uftful in 

 raifing many forts of tender exotics from feed, tuckers, cut- 

 tings, flips, &c. and in retaining and forwarding them in 

 their growth for fome time. Bark-pits of the fame kind 

 are likewife particularly ufeful and neceffary in the culture of 

 young ananas or pine-apple plants, in rearing and nurfing 

 them till of a proper age and fize, to be placed in the fuc- 

 ceffion-houfe, fruiting-ilove, or pinery. See Bromelia 

 Ananas, and Stove. 



A fimilar kind of detached bark-pit is likewife occafion- 

 ally ufed with advantage in the work of planting or tranf- 

 planting, or fnilting tender or curious plants in pots, for 

 plunging the pots wliich contain them, as foon as re-planted, 

 into, which much expedites their taking trefli root, and 

 brings them up at firft into a free and vigorous growth. 



Bark-pits, of the fame kind, are alio fuccefsfuUy em- 

 ployed in the work of forcing and raifing early produftions, 

 fuch as melon?, kidney-beans, peas, ffrawberries, &c. and for 

 many forts of flowers, both of the bulbous, rooted, and 

 herbaceous kinds, as well as for fmall flowering fhrubs. 

 And if the dimenfions of triem were increafed, efpeciully in 

 height, in the back parts they night have feveral forts of 

 dwarf-fruit trees in pots for the produdlion of early fruit, 

 placed in them. Sec Forcing-Frame. 



Detaclied bark-pits Ihould always be ereiSlcd in warm dry 

 fituations, in a fouihtrly alpedt, and be conllantly ranged 

 lengthways in the direction of tail and wtll, or nearly fo, in 

 order to have the whole front incline fully to the fouth fun, 

 in a floping manner, on which to place the glalfes in the 

 fame sofition, being generally llaliontd either contiguous to 

 the hot-houfe or ftove, but at a proper diltance iu front of it, 

 as the fituatiou and convenience of the place m;'.y admit. 

 Or they may be erefted at one or at both ends, extending in 

 a line with it, but feparated by a pafiage between them. 



But detached bark-pits are fometimes formed witli ridged 

 tops, like the roofs of houfes, the glaffes Hoping to both 

 fides, being ranged lengthways north and fouth, in order to 

 have the benefit of the fun equally on both fides, and ufed 

 for the fame purpofes as the others; though the common 

 fouth-fronting pits, extending call and welt, are more gene- 

 rally adopted, bi.ing lefs expenfive in glalj-work, &c. and, 

 in general, more convenient for different purpofes of the 

 iorcing kind. 



They fhoi'.ld be conftrufted, as has been obferved, with 

 walls of br ck work, forming the upright fides and ends nine 

 inches thick; and w..ere hre-flues are intended, the back 

 wall fhould be of a proper thicki.efs from the bottom, to 

 admit of having flues m the upper parts, a fire-place being 

 contrived externally at the bottom at one end; or, in con- 



fiderablf 



