571- THE rUACTlCAL GARDENER. [JlVl, 



diiUj the soil being damp, they ai'e raised on a platform (a b), 

 a little above the surface, to render them dry at bottom, which 

 is a very necessary precaution. In front, they are provided 

 with a gutter (c), which is of material consequence, by keeping 



the lining in front dry, and thereby preventing the heat from 

 being interrupted, or the bed suddenly chilled, during and 

 after heavy rains. The plants are often fruited in these pits 

 in the royal gardens, but, for the most part, they are removed 

 into the fruiting-house, recommended in the last article. The 

 best cultivators of the pine prefer to grow their plants in pits, 

 in preference to the old practice of growing them in larger 

 houses, or deep pits, heated in a great measure with fire-heat. 

 Many varieties of pits for this purpose have been recom- 

 mended, but we see nothing in them superior to the above, 

 which combines all that is necessary, under good management, 

 to grow this plant in the first degree of excellence. 



FRUITING PINE-PLANTS. 



The plants in the fruiting-pit will require to be treated the 

 same as the succession-plants above. Keeping the tempera- 

 ture steadily at from 60'' to 65°, as it will be more desirable 

 for general purposes that the plants do not start into fi:uit till 

 the middle or end of next month. Some sorts of pines are, 

 however, found to swell tolerably well during the winter; such, 

 therefore, as are in fruit, should be kept as deep in the bed as 

 possible, so that their roots may enjoy a sufficient share oi 

 heat to forward the fruit at this time, when the general tem- 

 perature of the house cannot be kept sufficiently high for them, 

 without sacrificing the remainder of the plants, whose general 

 crop of fruit it may be desirable to keep back to a later period 



