THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
886 
In the same nursery, a variety of the Common Laurel 
was pointed out to us, under the name of the Colchian 
Laurel. The chief points of difference are the excessive 
smoothness of the leaves, and the very dark green they 
assume. We think them, also, longer and narrower; 
but it is in its hardiness that this variety becomes more 
interesting and valuable. We were told, that during 
the winter it keeps that dark bright green, and is then 
peculiarly superior to the old variety. The stock of 
Deodars here is exceedingly large, as also of Gryptomeria 
japoniea, Cedar of Lebanon, African Cedar, and a general 
collection of Conifer®, all in excellent health ; but the 
Araucarias are the glory of the place. They are worthy 
of travelling far to see. The nursery is in the highest 
order of keeping. 
Messrs. Cunningham £ Co., of Broad Green, near 
Liverpool. There, also, the Araucarias are vory nume¬ 
rous, but not so much so as at Walton. Mr. C. is more 
famous for Rhododendrons, almost vying with the Wa- 
terers. Many promising seedlings are advancing on to 
the blooming state, and are likely, if foliage is any cri¬ 
terion, to surpass any as yet known. The owner has 
been hybridizing for years, his efforts being principally { 
directed to obtain late-flowering varieties ; and in order 
to accomplish this, he uses largely the pollen from the ' 
old R. maximum, mixing it with the arhorea, and other 
fine-foliaged varieties. 
Messrs. Davies £ Co., of Waver tree, have directed 
their attention principally to growing greenhouse shrubs, 
such as Azaleas, Camellias, lleaths, and the best of the 
Now Holland plants. In these, we may justly say, they 
surpass any country nursery whatever. By country 
nursery, we mean any that are more than ten miles 
from London. The plants are healthy, well-stopped, 
and are just in a right state to form specimens, such as 
a May, a Cole, or a Green, would choose for that pur¬ 
pose. There are no less than three nurseries in that 
neighbourhood kept by men of the name of Davies, and 
they arc all brothers, and equally industrious and success¬ 
ful in growing plants. The Camellia Daviesii was raised by 
this company, and is a well-known aud excellent variety. 
We noted that Rhododendrons grow well in these nur¬ 
series, but do not form flower-buds, not for the reason 
Mr. Beaton gave lately, that the presence of a calcareous 
soil was a preventive of these plants flowering, but 
because, as wo judge, a too rich and cool soil, which 
keeps them growing too freely and constantly. 
T. Al'pi.eby. 
{To be continued.) 
A FORCING PIT AND ITS USES. 
When the amateur, whose garden establishment has 
hitherto been homely, is induced to extend it by adding 
a forcing pit or pits, so as to be able to furnish his table, 
or contribute to his enjoyment at an untoward season, he 
is often under some uncertainty which way to proceed, 
neither do the many gardening publications now exist¬ 
ing throw much light on the matter; true, there is no 
lack of advisers in such cases, but they do not always 
agree, and opinions diametrically opposite are bad to 
reconcile, yet not uncommon; one recommending a 
bark bed and smoke flue; another insists on its being 
heated by the Polmaise system; while the far greater 
portion insist on hot-water pipes, as giving out the most 
steady and lasting heat. Now, as we will suppose the 
amateur, whose means are not very extensive, wants a 
pit of some half-a-dozen lights, which he may convort 
to as useful and varied a purpose as possible, the ques¬ 
tion then becomes—What sort of a pit is it advisable to 
build? Of late years the span-roofed structure has 
been recommended for all purposes, from the princely 
conservatory down to the small pit for forcing, or othor pur- 
September 16 . I 
poses ; and though, for most purposes, I like such build¬ 
ings, yet for winter forcing I prefer the old lean-to, and 
that with rather a steep pitch. However, as the amateur 
will expect to derive as much benefit in summer as in | 
winter, we prefer the span-roof for that purpose; and 
taking the case in all its bearings, we advise him to have 
it so; as a span-roofed pit, with a door at one end, aud 
a walk up the centre, presents advantages which other 
forms do not, not the least benefit being the ease with 
which every thing inside may be seen and examined, 
but it likewise affords the most space as stowage for 
plants proportionate to its extent; and as it may be con¬ 
verted iuto a melon pit in summer, the whole area of 
glass may be occupied as a trellis for that crop, the 
eeutral pathway being sunk so as to allow a person 
passing along without injuring the crop. 
The width of such a pit ought not to be less than j 
nine feet inside, and if more, so much the better; venti- i 
lation is easily effected by having a wide ridge piece, in 
which apertures are contrived with sliding doors, other¬ 
wise the lights might be made to move up and down in 
the usual way. We have seen one wherein the lights bung 
on hinges at top, and thus could be opened any required 
height at bottom ; but this is a dangerous way of admit- 
ing air when there is delicate produce inside; the top 
must, therefore, bo made available in some way for the 
heated air to escape; and what bottom air is necessary 
to admit had better be by holes opening upou the heat¬ 
ing apparatus below the level of leaves of any kind ; 
this, of course, will be regulated by the mode of heating 
applied, and other circumstances. 
As we have recommended the door to be at one end, 
we will suppose the heating contrivance to be at the 
other, and for that purpose there is nothing better than 
hot-water pipes; supposing a simply-constructed boiler, 
well set at the centre of one end, and pipes leading from 
it right and left might be suspended to the side walls, 
on each side, until they reached the opposite end, when 
by a bend obliquely downwards, they may be made to 
return again to the boiler, by running underneath the 
space allotted for the beds on each side of the pathway; 
this return pipe will be sufficient to heat the stratum 
above, so as to act as “ a bottom heat” to whatever is 
placed upon it, and, of course, the materials immediately 
in contact with it ought to bo loose and open, in order 
to admit the diffusion of beat as regularly ns possible. 
To those who do not object to expense, a tank or trough 
covered with slates would seem to be more serviceable 
than a single pipe, but the latter will do; and by it we 
have seen good crops of melons, &c., growing on the j 
bed above. 
It will be observed, that these bods are bounded by j 
the outside wall on one side, and by a brick wall on each 
side of the central pathway on the inside ; the pathway, 
in order to give head room, might be sunk so as to have 
to descend a step or two at entering, but the side walls 
of the pit we would advise to be at least three feet high 
out of the ground, the brick walls forming the margins 
of the beds and pathway ought to be well built, the top i 
courses either set in cement, or an oaken cap may be j 
substituted, as the jar of heavy' pots, and the frequent 
shifting of materials composing the bed is apt to dis¬ 
place bricks not well set. 
Observe, we mean the flow-pipe that hangs on the 
front wall to be fully exposed, and quite clear of the bed 
on which plants may be plunged, or melons, &c., grow¬ 
ing. This pipe is to give atmospheric heat to the pit, 
while the other supplies the bottom heat; the one on each 
side will do for such a structure as wo have mentioned ; 
and if the boiler be a right one, and other things 
favourable, any reasonable amount of heat may be com¬ 
manded. 
It is easy to conjecture how many purposes such a pit 
may be put to. Winter Cucumbers, Strawberries, and 
