534 Notice of a Pit for Fruiting Pines and Melons, $c. 



of Melons is to be grown, I recommend that some hollow 

 draining or ridge tiles be placed against the holes in the brick- 

 work, and carried across the bed horizontally from one side 

 to the other, at several places, forming hollow spaces, so that 

 when the warmth of the dung declines, the heat produced 

 by means of fire in the flue may be rapidly carried through 

 the pit. I also advise, that some tiles be placed perpendi- 

 cularly against the sides, from the holes to the surface of 

 the earth, to let the warm air of the flues amongst the Melon 

 plants, in cold weather : the openings of the tiles at top 

 may be uncovered, or stopped at pleasure by flat tiles o# 

 slates. 



When Pines have been grown in the pit, the filling of it 

 has been effected in different ways. Sometimes horse-dung 

 has been used, with tan on the top, into which the pots are to 

 be plunged, and which will keep the steam of the dung from 

 injuring the plants : at other times the pit has been filled with 

 oak leaves, and a small portion of tan : and leaves mixed 

 with dung, having tan on the top ; and tan alone has also 

 been used. I have found all these methods succeed very well. 

 For Melons, dung alone has been applied, either put fresh 

 in, or raised upon what has been left after the Pines 

 have fruited, or after Asparagus has been forced during 

 the winter, and early spring months; a use to which the 

 pit has occasionally been applied after the Pines have all 

 been cut. 



I have mentioned above the production of the Seeds of 

 Pine Apples , which is not a very usual occurrence : they 

 are generally obtained from those Pines which blossom in 



