PITS HEATED BY HOT WATER, &o. 



441 



sufficient number of tubes, as represented 

 by the dotted lines in front of section 

 at/. 



Heat in abundance is produced by the 

 pipes in the vault ; while the requisite de- 

 gree of humidity is obtained effectively 

 and simply, by having the flow-pipe laid 

 in a channel or gutter which may be filled 

 less or more with water ; thus combining, to 

 a certain extent, the tank and pipe systems. 



Weeks and Day's pit for hot-water hot- 

 torn heat, fig. 613. — This is a well-contrived 



pit. Hot-water 

 Fig- 613. . • 



pipes are car- 

 ried along the 

 front, ends, and 

 back {a a) of 

 the pine-bed to 

 give surface- 

 heat, while 

 others are car- 

 ^ ried under the 

 bed in a gutter b, for affording bottom 

 heat. The latter may be wrought at all 

 times, unless a diminution should arise in 

 the temperature of the atmosphere of the 

 pit, when they may either be stopped by 

 stopcocks, or even allowed to work alto- 

 gether, as may be deemed most expedient. 

 We need hardly say that, wherever tanks 

 or gutters are used, abundance of atmo- 

 spheric moisture can be commanded, by 

 merely having a few openings through 

 the bottom of the bed. 



As the covering over the gutters is let 

 into .the walls at both sides, tubular open- 

 ings should be brought up through the 

 floor and soil to admit the heat, accom- 

 panied with moisture, into the atmosphere 

 of the pit. 



Mill's cucumber pit, fig. 614. — This very 

 excellent cultivator has published in the 

 " Gardeners' Journal" the annexed plan of 

 a pit of his invention, of which the follow- 

 ing is his description : " a, glass sashes ; 

 b, trellis for plants ; c, bed for soil ; d, hot- 

 air chamber ; e e, gutters for hot water ; 

 /, chamber for top heat ; g, 4-inch wall ; 

 h h, brick on edge wall ; i i, 9-inch tiles, 

 covering 8-inch gutter ; h k, ground-level ; 

 /, 4-inch wall ; m, old ship timber." This 

 is a very excellent pit, though we object 

 to the use of timber between the soil and 

 hot-air chamber, when slate or pavement 

 would have been so much better, as either 

 would be more durable, transmit the 

 heat better, and be provided at very 



VOL. I. 



little additional expense. Even though 

 the timber is perforated with holes, or 



Fig. 614. 



the joints are left pretty open, the non- 

 conducting property of the wood will re- 

 tard the ascent of the heat to the roots of 

 the plants, which neither slate nor pave- 

 ment would do. The hot-air cavities at 

 back and front, formed by carrying up the 

 two 4-inch walls, are, we think, quite 

 superfluous, as iron or earthenware tubes 

 placed along the back and front would 

 have answered the purpose better, and 

 saved 8 inches of space within the pit ; 

 while they could have been furnished, 

 with stoppers complete, for half what the 

 two 4-inch walls cost. 



To render this pit complete for the pur- 

 pose of winter culture, for which it is 

 principally intended — and without these 

 it cannot be perfect — hot-water pipes of 

 3 inches diameter should be placed along 

 the front in the usual manner. 



Reid's propagating an d protecting pit, ivith 

 tank and hot water combined. — Fig. 615 

 shows an arrangement of this kind, which 



Fig. 615. 



will be found useful in nurseries, and in 

 garden establishments where many plants 

 are required for planting out during 

 summer, where it will be valuable for pre- 

 serving them during winter. The follow- 

 ing references will explain its principle. 

 The platforms a a are formed of pave- 

 ment supported on iron columns ; 2-inch 

 hot-water pipes b b are employed, being 



3 K 



