1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
315 
curing the sashes, ■which are about 6 feet long 
by 8i feet ■wide, the same as those made for hot 
beds. The size of the pit will be governed by 
that of the sash and the number of them to be 
used; about twice as long as the width will be 
found a convenient shape. The site for the pit 
should be a dry one, or capable of being made 
60 by draining. Four or five feet will be a suffl- 
SECTION OF GEEEN-nOUSE. 
cient depth to dig the pit, which is then to be 
boarded up, or walled up ■with brick or stone, 
which should run a foot above the surface at the 
rear, and 9 inches above it on the front side, 
the top of the end walls having a regular slope 
from rear to front. Where brick or stone walls 
are used, there should be a plate of oak joist, 
laid in mortar upon the top of the wall, to re¬ 
ceive the sash. Bank up the part of the wall 
that projects above the surface, and put a good 
layer of gravel or hard coal ashes in the bottom 
of the pit, and it is ready to receive the plants. 
Tender Roses, Camellias, Carnations, Azaleas, 
etc., will Avinter finely in such a pit. The plants 
should [have all possible ventilation when the 
weather will allow, and be kept moderately dry 
though not allo-«'ed to suffer for want of water. 
In severe cold ■w^eather, cover the glass with 
shutters or mats enough to keep out hard frost. 
Many who ■umuld like to have a green house 
are ■ deterred from building one on account 
of the expensiveness of those they see upon 
the places of the wealthy. It is to be regretted 
that there is not a demand in this country, as 
there is in England, for portable green-houses, 
which can be readily put up and easily taken 
down for transportation in case one is a tenant 
and obliged to move. Small, lean-to green 
houses can be built very cheapl 3 ’', and will an¬ 
swer for either growing plants, or simply pro¬ 
tecting them from frost. Plans and all the 
details for the construction of them are given in 
the back volumes, 20 and 21 (1861—’62). The 
objection to lean-to green houses is, that most 
of the plants are too far from the light; this is 
not a very serious matter Avhere the plants are 
at rest, but it is very essential that growing 
ones should be near the glass, and our most 
successful propagators have their houses Avith a 
very gentle pitch. Perhaps the most complete 
range of propagating and green houses in the 
country is that of Mr. Peter Henderson, of Jer¬ 
sey City. We recently had the pleasure of vis¬ 
iting this well-appointed establishment, and it 
struck us that the very simple plan carried out 
there upon so large a scale, might answer equally 
well for a small house. The houses of Mr. H. 
are 100 feet long, and in groups of three. The 
diagram given above is a sectional view of 
one of these houses, and will give a sufiiciently 
correct idea of the structure to enable one to 
build after his plan. The house is 11 feet wide, 
with no side lights, all the ventilation being 
done by lifting the sash. The ground line is 
shown at G. The walls. A, are of brick, but 
may be of stone, or even a double wall of plank, 
filled in Avith non-conducting material. The 
sashes, B, are 6 feet long, and supported by raft¬ 
ers framed into the ridge pole. The pathway, 
E, is 2 feet Avide, and excavated below the 
ground leAml, so as to give a height of 7 feet in 
the clear. The benches, C, for the reception of 
the pots, are of earth, and are feet wide, the 
sides being held up by walls of brick or plank. 
The heating is done by hot water conducted 
through the pipes F. If the house is to be heat¬ 
ed by flues, the benches, instead of being of 
solid earth, must be of plank, and the flues pass 
beneath them at D. Every other sash is capa¬ 
ble of being lifted at the top for the purpose of 
ventilation. A flat iron bar, about a foot long, 
AA’ith two or three holes punched through it, is 
fastened at one end by a staple to 
the upper end of the sash. The 
sash is lifted to the required hight 
and held in place by catching the 
bar, by means of its holes, upon a 
strong iron pin driven into the pole. 
ridge pole. The ridge-pole is ingeniously shaped 
to admit of readily lifting the sashes and secure 
a tight joint; the aunexed cut gives a sectional 
view of it. The propagating houses are similar 
in structure, but have water tanks for supply¬ 
ing bottom heat. Mr. Henderson’s houses are 
well worth a visit from those Avho would con¬ 
struct houses for propagating or growing plants. 
Instead of patenting every improvement, as some 
have done, he freely contributes the results of 
many years’ experience to the general good. 
■■■' ■ i ^ I ■ I 
The Porter Apple. 
It is quite surprising that a fruit of such 
great excellence as the Porter apple is not more 
generally cultivated. In September we find in 
the NeAv-York market, hundreds of barrels of 
indifferent or AA’orthless fruit, to one of the 
Porter. It possesses all the elements of popu¬ 
larity ; the tree comes early into bearing, grows 
rapidly, and yields abundant crops of fine and 
handsome fruit. The above rough outline 
isTrom the only specimen at hand, consid¬ 
erably under size, and somewhat less tapering 
than it often is. The skin, Avhen the fruit is 
ripe, is of a beautiful clear yellow, often with a 
blush on the sunny side; the flesh is white, fine 
grained, crisp, tender and juicjq with an agree¬ 
able spirited and somewhat acid flavor. It is a 
highly prized variety in New England, where it 
originated, and succeeds in almost all the north¬ 
ern and middle States; is a good market fruit, 
and excellent for the table or for cooking. 
Autumn Leaves and Fruits. 
This month the landscape will glow with the 
brilliant red and yellow of the maples, which, 
blending with the less lively tints of other 
trees, make up the grand display of color pecu¬ 
liar to our autumn scenery. The general effect 
is due to the many-hued leaves of our forest 
trees, but whoever examines closely Avill ob¬ 
serve that the details of this gorgeous tapestry 
are Avorked in by the brilliant foliage of humble 
shrubs and delicate climbers, and that bright 
berries and other fruits, and even gaily colored 
stems, all contribute their tints to the work of 
the Great Artist. In tree-planting, the autum¬ 
nal effect should not be lost sight of, and there 
are several species that we would select express¬ 
ly for the colors which succeed their verdure. 
Our present object, hoAvever, is to call attention 
to some of the shrubs and smaller trees, having 
beauty of foliage or fruits, late in the season. 
The 'Witch Hazel Avill even give us floAvers 
at this time, but that is more curious than effec¬ 
tive. No leaves are brighter in autumn than 
those of our common Sumach, Bhus glabra., 
and Avhen there is a rocky or barren spot it 
may find a place. The Flowering Dogwood, 
Gornus florida, turns its leaves to a rich purple, 
amid which its clusters of coral berries show 
Avith brilliancy. Other red-berried shrubs are, 
the Mountain-Ash, several varieties of the Euro¬ 
pean and American species, the Bush-Cran¬ 
berry or Vihurnum Opulus, the Indian Cur¬ 
rant or Symphoricarpus milgaris. The thorns, all 
have shoAvy red or jmllow fruit, especially 
the Pyracantha, which has evergreen leaves 
as well as red fruit, as do the Holly and Yew; 
nor must our common Black Alder, Bex verti- 
cillata, be overlooked, even if it is common. But 
of all the showy deciduous shrubs, our favorite 
is the native Euonymus atropurpureus, the 
Burning-bush or Spindle-tree. This, when it 
throws off its green coat, stands arrayed in 
brilliant red, which in the autumn sunlight, 
glows as if on fire. There is a European spe¬ 
cies Avith rose-colored fruit, and a white fruited 
variety of it. The Red-osier Dogwood, Gornus 
stolonifera, gives us white berries, but is more 
valuable for the bright red color of its stems. 
The Suowberry, Symphorkarpus raeemosus, is 
well knoAvn and much cultivated for its Avhite 
berries. The different varieties of Privet have 
both white and black fruit, and the American 
and Japanese Callicarpas have an abundance 
of charming purple berries. Several of the 
climbers are fine in autumn. The Virginia 
Creeper, one of the best of our climbers for its 
green foliage, is unsurpassed by anything in the 
beauty of its change at the close of the sea¬ 
son. The Moon-seed, Menispermum Ganadense, a 
much neglected climber, is of two sexes. The 
fertile plant has clusters of black berries, to 
Avhich their fine bloom gives much the appear¬ 
ance of frost-grapes. Glematis Virginiana, the 
Virgin’s-Bower, so full of Avhite flowers in Au¬ 
gust, is now conspicuous for the long feathery 
tails to its fruit, which in some places is called 
“ Old-man’s-beard.” The wax-work, or Climb¬ 
ing Bitter-sweet, Gelastrus scandens, figured in 
August, 1864, so fine at any time, is now partic¬ 
ularly gay Avith its curious orange and scarlet 
fruit. Others might be enumerated, but this 
list, comprising mainly natives of our own 
woods and copses, is sufficient to indicate some 
of the plants which may readily be introduced 
to improve the autumn aspect of our grounds. 
All of those here given are worthy of culture 
for their beauty of leaf and flower, as well as 
for that of their dying foliage or ripened fruit. 
