188 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r August 80, 188fc 
in the discussion will facilitate the arrangements if they send in 
their names to the Hon. Secs., Mr. Lewis Castle, South Wimbledon ; Mr. 
Wm. Earley, Ilford ; or to the Chairman on the day of the meeting. 
CULTURE OF EUCHARISES. 
The Eucharis plants here have been subject to the disease for 
some time. No special experiment was tried to eradicate it, only 
what I should call careful treatment. To commence with, all the 
plants early in January were turned out of their pots, and the 
bulbs were dipped into Fir-tree oil. A selection w r as then made, 
placing all the large bulbs together, and these and the small ones 
being potted separately. The compost given consisted of good 
fibrous loam, the soil being well shaken out, a liberal dash of 
coarse sand, charcoal, and soot. Pots 12 inches in diameter were 
employed, carefully drained about one-third of their depth, putting 
about a dozen large bulbs in a pot, the small ones more ; these 
were potted firmly, taking care not to bruise the bulbs. 
After potting a little bottom heat was necessary to assist them 
and plants preserved in winter or forced in early spring. All we can 
do in such a case is to give our friends a choice of three plans—a lean-t.o> 
pit, a half span, and a full span, leaving them to select the one that 
may be deemed the most suitable. 
Fig. 20, prepared by Mr. E. Luckhurst, shows sections of three 
houses : A, a snug little lean-to—propagating, Melon, or Cucumber 
house, b, a semi-span, possessing all the advantages of A, with the 
important additional one of a stage for stove plants and Orchids ; or- 
it could be turned to account for a variety of useful purposes, espe*- 
daily the early forcing of Roses, flowering shrubs, such as Deutzias, 
Weigelas, Lilacs, as well as Lily of the Valley and bulbs, or for win¬ 
tering bedding plants. This house would also answer admirably for 
Vines in pots and Kidney Beans, c Shows a section of a loftier ele¬ 
vation— a lean-to, forming the most simple style of vinery as well 
as the most efficient. Sweep away all internal fittings—the stage, the 
inner wall, the soil and rubble ; put plenty of pipes near the floor, not 
on it, but just elevated a few inches upon pipe stands, so as to turn all 
the heat to account and let none of it be wasted by absorption into- 
walls and floors, as is too often the case ; pierce the front wall and 
plant Vines in the soil, and we do not see what more a skilful Vine- 
grower would require, or what advantage a more elaborate state of 
to make fresh roots and growth. A little fermenting material was 
placed in the Cucumber house, in which the plants were plunged 
when the temperature decreased to about 90°. In this position 
they remained for about ten weeks, attention being paid to the 
shading and the supply of tepid water. When removed they were 
not shifted directly from the plunging material, but the pots were 
lifted, the bed levelled, and then replaced so as not to give any check 
after the strong bottom heat, but gradually hardening the plants to 
the house temperature ; from this they were taken to the stove. 
The system of resting that is greatly practised in many places 
is to remove the plants from the house where growing to a lower 
temperature, keeping them dry for five or six weeks. I have seen 
plants lose their roots and fall into ill health through this practice. 
Here the plants remain in the same temperature as when growing, 
keeping them dry for a month or so, but never allowing the soil to 
become dust dry. The culture as mentioned has proved most 
satisfactory, some of the plants being now 4 feet in diameter and 
carrying nine and ten large spikes of flowers, few traces of disease 
being left.— Foreman, Bcsborough, Cork. 
PITS FOR MELONS. 
Two correspondents write to us on the same subject, but neither of 
them appears to know exactly what he wants ; one plainly indicates 
that he does not, and the other simply asks for a plan of a Melon house 
without saying anything about its shape, whether span-roofed or lean-to. 
Pits appear to be coveted in which Melons can be grown in summer 
things would confer upon a non-skilful one. Leaving, however, the 
vinery out of the question, the semi-span roofed pit would be excellent 
for Melons. 
We now reproduce a pit from a plan of Mr. R. Inglis (fig. 21), and 
cite his remarks thereon :— 
“ In the erection of pits, the conservation of heat by the means of 
‘mother earth’ is very often under-estimated, if not ignored altogether. 
I think there is nothing we can do with more advantage to our plants 
than endeavour to have them rather under ground than above it. The 
further a house or pit is raised above ground the more it catches the 
bitter blast in winter. The roof we must have exposed ; but why have 
the walls also exposed, when they can be built for less money, and 
heated at less cost afterwards, by having nothing exposed to the elements 
but the glass roof ? And not only is it of advantage in heating 
in winter, but it is of great advantage in the maintenance of 
more genial moist atmosphere in hot dry weather in summer, as 
everyone can testify who has had experience of such pits, or given the 
thing serious consideration. For a range of useful pits I would suggest 
something like what is represented in the accompanying section. Sup¬ 
posing a a to he the ground line, mark off and level the soil where the 
outside walls are to be, and run it hard so that there is no chance of its 
sinking. On this build your outside walls, placing at intervals of 6 or 
8 feet under the wall a right-angle elbow 3-inch sanitary pipe, socket 
end up, as shown at b b. By placing three bricks on edge round its end 
and breaking off the end of the brick just above this pipe, a connection 
with the inside of the pit is secured.' Another pipe, placed in the socket 
at b, will vise above the eaves of the pit ; and to prevent wet entering, a 
tin or zinc cover can be supported 3 inches above the pipe by three 
pieces of stout wire, to fit inside the sockets. These will form ven- 
