PITS HEATED BY HOT WATER, &c. 



453 



Mr Fortune considers a hot-water appa- 

 ratus the best of all modes of heating ; 

 and estimates the expense for such a pit 

 as the above at — a 10-inch Rogers coni- 

 cal boiler, about £5, 10s. ; the fittings, 

 £1, 18s.; and 2-inch leaden pipe at about 

 3s. per yard. 



Dawson's cucumber-pit, figs. 634 and 

 635. — This pit has considerable merits. 



Fig. 634. 



We would, however, have preferred had 

 the tank been immediately under the 

 bed, and occupying its whole breadth. As 

 Fig. 635. 



it is, we doubt if sufficient bottom heat 

 can be commanded during winter. We 

 approve greatly of the hot-water pipes for 

 atmospheric heat being laid above — if laid 

 on it, heat would be lost by absorption — 

 the surface of the bed, and also of the 

 tank for rain water being under the back 

 table. Mr Dawson is quite correct in 

 stating his doubts as to the sufficiency of 

 heat to be obtained from tanks placed 

 under the bed alone. This we have 



found out by experience. By having his 

 tank heated by hot-water pipes passing 

 through it, he has the choice of moist or 

 dry heat as he pleases ; as, when dry heat 

 is wanted, the water can be withdrawn 

 from the tank. The pipes he employs, 

 however, are too small, if of cast-iron, 

 and will soon choke up by corrosion. 

 It is not stated whether the tank is 

 covered with pavement, slates, or timber; 

 we trust not the latter. 



The following reference to the section 

 and plan is from the " Gardeners' Jour- 

 nal," in which paper it has been pub- 

 lished : — " Interior dimensions — length 

 28 feet, by 9 feet wide ; height over pas- 

 sage, 7 feet : a ground-level ; b door and 

 passage ; c tank and 2-inch pipe, with 

 three apertures for the moisture to rise 

 by, for surface-moisture ; d 4-inch pipe 

 for surface-heat ; e a small tank, higher 

 than the bed into which the water flows 

 from the boiler, to allow of expansion — 

 from this the flow-pipes carry the water, 

 and in it either of them can be stopped 

 at pleasure ; / a platform for cucumber 

 boxes or pots, &c. &c. ; g trellis for 

 cucumbers, raised or lowered at pleasure 

 by an iron rod from the rafters ; li cistern 

 to hold rain water collected on the roof; 

 i fire-place and boiler." 



German pit for forcing French beans, 

 strawberries, $$c. — Fig. 636 exhibits a pit 



well contrived for these purposes. It is 

 12 feet wide and 10 feet high. The stage 

 on which the pots are set is arranged so 

 that it can be elevated or lowered at 

 pleasure, as will be sufficiently under- 

 stood by a glance at the section : a a are 

 smoke-flues, (hot-water pipes would be 

 better.) Over the front flue is a trellis, 

 on which pots are set; and under the 

 stage at b is a mushroom bed ; or sea-kale, 

 rhubarb, &c, may be forced in it during 

 winter. Ventilation is effected by sliding 



