CHAPTER IIi; 
MTS AND FRAMES. 
® MONGST the numerous structures now to be met with 
in gardens, there are none possessing a greater degree 
uppqpy than pits and frames. They are of the 
utmost value for hardening off bedding plants in spring, for 
the cultivation of cucumbers, melons, primulas, cinerarias, and 
other soft-wooded plants required for the embellishment of 
the conservatory during the summer and autumn, and for 
preservative purposes during the winter. 
In all constructive works in the garden the measure of a 
man of ordinary stature and strength should be taken into 
consideration, and especially is this necessary in the construc- 
tion of pits and frames. If these structures are too wide, 
there will be some difficulty in giving the plants the attention 
they require, and, if the lights are too large and heavy, it will 
be impossible to move them about without unduly taxing the 
strength of those who have to handle them, or by having two 
men to do work which ought to be performed by one. The 
measure of a man’s strength is in this case an important 
matter, and helps to show us that the ancients with their 
spans, cubits, and fathoms, were at least as wise as regards 
measurement as those who would introduce into general use 
the nffitre, the millimetre, and the centimetre, which form 
part of a system of measurement based upon astronomical 
facts that very few can realize. In building pits we have to 
consider how far a man can reach, and what weight he can 
conveniently lift, and, when we have done this, we shall not 
have much difficulty in determining the size and construction 
of the pits. 
. most convenient form of pit is the ordinary lean-to. It 
is of . the most simple construction, comparatively inexpensive, 
and is well adapted for the cultivation of every class of plants 
that can be grown in a pit. The exterior walls may be formed 
with bricks, wood, or turf, but for neatness and durability 
D 
