CULTURE OF THE VINE. 
627 
To assist in keeping tliem alive, I have sent you the plans of 
a house, that I have found to answer the purpose very well, (fig. 108.) 
The front stage is used for plants which will not hear the damp at- 
mosphere of the pit, as Epacris, Ericas, &c. &c. ; the pit is for the 
cuttings of such plants as require a damp atmosphere, as Camel- 
lias, Phillyreas, and many other evergreens, which require a little 
heat to make them root freely. When well rooted, I remove them 
to another house, and make room for more on the shelves. I would 
here just observe, that the pots for cuttings cannot be too well drained, 
they should be half filled with broken potsherd, covered over with a 
little peat or moss, which will keep the sand from sinking through. 
108 
At the back of the pit there are iron supports, one inch square, each 
one solid bar and bent as (2 2) into which brackets are rivetted for 
the shelves to rest upon; (3) shelves used for bulbous or tuberous 
rooted plants in winter, as Ferrarias Dahlias, Gladioluses, &c. these 
extend the whole length of the house, there is a door through the 
back wall (4) to take any plants in the potting shed, without expo- 
sing them to the open air : the two bottom shelves are divided, and 
take out easily when the pots of cuttings in the pit may require 
moving, to introduce new tan into the pit, or for other purposes. 
The pots of cuttings (5) are placed on the tan (6,) and not plunged, 
as by constant sprinkling they are liable to become too wet ; eighteen 
inches thick of new tan is put on the bed, about every two months ; 
this keeps up a regular warmth, the new tan is suffered to lay on the 
old for the two months without mixing, then some of the old tan is 
4c3 
