134 
THE GARDEN :\1 A G A Z I X E 
November, 1916 
Front view of the final evolution— almost a greenhouse 
The work on this cold pit was done entirely 
by the man about the place, who was fortun- 
ately skilled enough at carpentry to dispense 
with professional labor. 
In duplicating this cold pit as it stands at 
present, the labor cost would be reduced at 
least a third; less cement would be used and 
A look inside showing the bench arrangement of the back 
wall 
First Cost of Pit: 
Sash. Seven at SI. 50 S10.50 
Brick 4.00 
Cement. Ten bags at S.40 .... 4.00 
Lumber 2.00 
Labor. Seven days at SI. 50 .... 10.50 
Total 
S31.00 
Cost of Reconstruction: 
Two 3 ft. X 3 ft. sash at SI. . S2.00 
Frame and glass for ends and front. . 5.00 
Cement. Twenty bags at S.40 . . . 8.00 
Lumber for frame, back, and roof . . 4.00 
Roofing paper, 1 roll 2.00 
♦Iron .25 
Labor. Six days atS1.50 9.00 
Total 
S30.25 
Grand Total 
S61.25 
♦All metal used for reinforcing and supporting concrete 
benches was scrap except the wagon axle bought from the 
blacksmith. 
less lumber. The other 
items would remain ap- 
proximately the same. It 
should be mentioned that 
on account of the height of 
the benches, necessary to let 
sunlight under the back one, 
a movable wooden bench of 
suitable height should be 
used to work from. 
Sowing Garden Peas 
in the Fall 
I ^HE method of growing 
peas described here is 
one which may be used to 
realize an extra early crop 
of peas, without the use of 
hotbeds and coldframes. It 
was developed in central 
western New York, where home grown peas 
are not generally obtainable much before the 
last of June or the first of July. Use seed of 
an extra early variety such as Thomas Laxton 
or Alaska. While the regular early varieties 
such as Little Marvel or Nott’s Excelsior may 
be used, the crop will not be quite so early. 
Plant the seed in drills four inches deep 
about five days before hard frosts. They 
should be sown about one inch apart. .After 
sowing dig fairly deep trenches on each side of 
the drill, the earth being thrown on top of the 
drill. In this wa}', a mound about nine 
inches high is made over the row of seeds. It 
is best to cover the whole with dead leaves 
thickly, using sticks, etc., to keep the leaves 
from being blown away during the winter. 
The trenches serve to drain away from the 
seeds the water which is almost sure to collect 
during the winter. The leaves will keep the 
ground from thawing quickly in the spring. 
As soon as the ground is workable in the 
spring, the mound should be levelled off. 
L’sually, the seeds will have sprouted so that 
the tips are practically up level with the ground 
level. Thin out to about three inches apart. 
At this time, the plants may be treated with 
nitrogen gathering bacteria with excellent re- 
sults. .Another way to obtain good results is 
to dig a trench at one side of the row of peas 
and fill it with manure. If this trench of 
manure is filled with water once a day the 
growth of the peas will be helped materially. 
Peas thrive naturally with plenty of water. 
During dry weather, the ground should be well 
cultivated to conserve the moisture in the soil. 
New York. H. O. Woolley. 
the scaffolding and boards 
were removed, leaving the 
two concrete benches clear 
of obstructions or visible 
supports. 
I he front bench was 19 
ft. 9 in. long by 3 ft. 4 in. 
wide and 8 in. deep. Un- 
derneath it are shelves for 
tools, seeds, utensils, etc. It 
was constructed first and 
the plants from the old 
back bench moved to it be- 
fore the work on the latter 
was commenced. 1 he rear 
bench is 17 ft. 10 in. by 2 ft. 
8 in. by 8 in. deep. Beneath 
it is a clear space on which 
the sun shines for more 
than half the day where 
potted plants, half hardy 
Chrj-santhemurns, etc., are kept, and lettuce 
and parsley are grown the year round. 
In the two benches every variety of peren- 
nial has been started from seed artd carried 
successfully through the winter. In the early 
spring celery, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, 
and all vegetables requiring an early start, 
are given it here. The annual flower seeds 
are also planted here after the perennials 
have been transferred to the garden. In the 
fall a large number of half hardy Chrysan- 
themums both in pots and in the benches 
are brought to perfection, as well as stocks 
and snapdragons. During very severe wea- 
ther an oil stove with a pan of water is suf- 
ficient to keep the temperature above freez- 
ing, but has seldom to be resorted to. Pep- 
pers, egg-plant and tomatoes throve but they 
developed no fruit in winter. 
Beginning with a regulation frame a superstructure was made on which the seven sash were raised and the evolution into a cold pit was completed 
