TI1E amateur's flower garden. 
199 
Autumn-sown stocks, nemophilas, silenes, collinsias, erysi¬ 
mums, and clarkias are particularly useful when raised in this 
way and kept through winter, with no more protection than 
just suffices to preserve them from injury by frost. The best 
form of turf-pit is here figured, and the necessary directions 
for its construction may be given in few words. The mate¬ 
rials required are some good larch poles, some rough planking, 
a good stock of turf, and a sufficient number of strong frame- 
lights or sashes of a 
proper size. Mark 
out the place for the 
pit, choosing a dry 
slope facing the south, 
if possible, for damp is a greater enemy than frost to all 
unheated structures. For a substantial working pit of good 
capacity, the following inside measurements are here re¬ 
commended :—Twelve feet long, five feet wide, three feet 
deep at the back, two feet in the front. Having marked 
out the ground, dig it out to a depth of twelve inches, 
so that the inside of the pit will be that depth below the 
level of the ground outside; then drive in short poles 
at the four corners, and attach a rough plank along the edge 
of the excavation all round, against which to lay the first 
layer of turves. Then dividing the twelve feet space into 
three equal parts, drive in four other stout poles for the sash 
pieces to rest on, and then begin to pile the turves. These are 
to form four solid walls to be laid down level with the ground 
outside, neatly built up, beginning by laying them close to the 
rough planking round the pit till level with the top of the 
poles. If the walls are six inches thick they have sufficient 
solidity, but they may be eight or nine inches with advantage. 
When these are 
completed, trim 
them off neatly 
where they re¬ 
quire it, observing 
that the summit 
should slope a little downward, to throw off rain and 
prevent any trickling into the pit; and also let the out¬ 
side be as regular as possible, that wet may not lodge 
anywhere. A labourer accustomed to the handling of turf 
would complete this part of the job in a few hours, and 
