July 17.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
241 
matter for this week’s article:—IF. presents us with a 
pit, 5 feet deep in front, and 8 feet at hack,—it being 
18 inches above the ground level in front, and 3 feet at 
back,—and, we suppose, 12 feet wide, though it is not 
mentioned, and 21 feet in length. This pit is heated 
by a flue, which traverses the front and both ends, and 
he proposes to alter it so as to make it “ a good fuchsia 
house;” gives a section, with which we have no fault 
to find, only that it does not seem to be drawn on the 
same scale as the section of the pit, and neither are 
figures of dimensions given, both great requisites when 
advice is asked, but the prominent features of which 
appear to be—the raising of the house, or pit, so as to 
have upright glass in front, say 18 inches or 2 feet in 
height; the placing a stage or floor a few inches below 
the level of this front glass; the bringing of the flue 
back along the middle of the pit, in what would thus be 
an enclosed chamber, and returning it again by the 
back wall, giving thus three lengths of flue instead of 
one; and widening the house by building another wall, 
two or three feet distant from the back wall of the pit, 
in order that a path may thus be obtained, that will 
afford walking and working room inside,—the door to 
the pathway being through this back new wall. 
Opinion is asked as to the angle of elevation to suit 
fuschias? the propriety of so managing the flue? the 
depth from the glass at which the flooring should be to 
suit fuschias? the covering for the additional roof over 
the path? whether pots should be plunged in sand on 
the floor, or set on boards, &c. ? Conditional answers to 
which will he found in our, perhaps, too hasty reply. 
1st. Flues. —So far as fuschias are concerned and 
greenhouse plants in general, we see no necessity for 
building two new lengths, one in the middle and the 
other at the back of the present pit; as a good working 
flue along the front and both ends, though these ends 
as proposed should be almost wholly of glass, will be 
amply sufficient. Though fuschias will bear forcing, 
nay, even a certain amount of bottom-lieat when 
starting, the plants are never so fine, and robust, and 
bushy, as when grown in a comparatively cool, airy 
atmosphere, and this flue, as it at present exists, if in 
good condition, we would consider quite sufficient for 
getting them into bloom in June and July, and earlier 
if wanted; but then flowering plants must be ob¬ 
tained at the sacrifice of dispensing with close, sturdy 
growth. 
2nd. Inclination of the roof. —This for fuschias will 
answer admirably, and for greenhouse plants in general, 
intended to bloom and ripen their wood in summer. 
For early blooming and early flowering it would be 
better to raise the glass at the back 18 inches higher, 
which would thus give you the command of more rays 
of the sun in the early months of the year. 
3rd. Covering over the bach path. —Wood, asphalt, &c., 
may be used; but where you did not mind the raising of 
the back wall, we would raise it so high as to enable 
you to put an additional short glass sash in the same 
slope as the rest of the roof. If this was objectionable, 
we would build the new wall 18 inches or two feet lower 
tliau the height of the proposed roof over the pit, and 
from that point to the wall-plate over the back wall we 
would have a sloping narrow roof of glass. In this 
case a longitudinal rafter must be provided, to which 
| botli the long front rafters and the short back ones 
j should be fixed. Stout, neat, oak or iron supports, from 
the back wall of the pit would keep the longitudinal 
! rafter in its place, and be a capital place for nice 
' creepers; glass over the place, in whatever way applied, 
will be little more expense in the long run than any 
opaque material, while you will have all the advantage 
of the light conferred, and thus may use the new back 
wall for holding small plants on narrow shelves, for 
i growing creepers and twiners, for training camellias or 
oranges, or by building it rough and rustic for growing 
the hardier ferns, mosses and lichens. 
4th. Position of the floor, distance from glass, dec .— 
These must be regulated by your desires. Some are 
satisfied with a fuchsia, or any other greenhouse plant, 
when it is from three to five feet in height; others 
grumble if they do not get them giants, ranging from 
eight feet to as much more. If the latter is your wish, I 
you will want little or no flooring. If you intend having 
a fixed floor, calculate upon having one foot more from 
the floor to the glass, than the height you would wish I 
your plant to arrive at. Where the plant is small, it 
may be elevated upon a pot, or a series of pots. Strong ! 
slate is the best material for flooring, where expense is j 
no object, as, if Avell laid down, the water lost in water¬ 
ing in summer is retained to produce a moist atmo- \ 
sphere. In such a case as that before us, where a raised 
floor was deemed necessary, we should employ earth or 
rubbish of any kind, covered first with cinders and salt, 
and then with gravel and sand. The sand, &c., would 
absorb the moisture and give it out again. On this ac¬ 
count, a wood platform, suggested by our correspondent, 
is the worst in summer, because the moisture escapes from 
the pots so freely ; but it is very useful for many plants 
in winter, just because the moisture drains off so 
readily, and there is, therefore, little danger of damping. 
There is no difficulty in fixing the bottom of a stage, or 
the flooring of a house, when plants similar in size are 
to be grown there; but the difficulty is to decide when 
one house is to contain plants in all stages of growth, 
from so manyinches to so many feet. If our enquirer (IF.) 
had not finished the walls of his pit, or house, I would 
advise him to do as we ourselves have done, or rather 
improve upon it. All round a pit, at a certatn distance 
from the glass, so as to be on the same level, back and 
front, a brick is left out one inch past the perpendicular, 
and the following layers are put above it in the usual 
way. These inch projections serve admirably for placing 
strong boards across as a flooring for the reception of 
dwarf plants, and when they become too tall for their 
place out they come, and the boards too, and then they 
are replaced as far from the glass as you please. Where 
there is limited space, there may be three or four such 
means of moveable flooring instead of one, and thus 
full indulgence given, in the same pit, to plants a few 
inches in height, as well as those of several feet. By 
such means, the same pit that has had French beans in 
winter, and strawberries in spring, has had fuchsias, bego¬ 
nias, &c., of good size in summer and autumn. If, how¬ 
ever, a fixed stage or flooring on a level is desirable, we 
recommend slate, for neatness; and earth, &c., covered 
with sand, for utility and economy. In this, pits of 
small size, say a foot square, may be enclosed for the 
growth of the best creepers. 
5th. Width of floor, or stage platform for the plants, 
conveniences of watering them, dec. — TF. shows his intended 
floor or stage running from the back wall to the front 
wall of his pit, and enclosing his contemplated series 
of flues. There is, therefore, no pathway in front, no 
opportunity of getting at the plants there except by the 
front glass, and this would run counter to his desires to 
have the work performed within. Whether his pit be 
nine feet or twelve feet in width, he cannot attend to his 
plants from the path behind, and what is more he will 
never be able to see them to advantage if his house faces 
the south, as the best side will always be turned from 
him. To keep them in good condition in such circum¬ 
stances, he will often have to spraivl among them all- 
fours. And what is the remedy? Widen or not widen 
the house as you think proper; but if it is twelve feet 
now, it will make no bad place for fuschias, or other 
things either; elevate it undoubtedly. Retain the flues 
if you like, but save a place, or sink a part at one end of 
the house, or have room for a path by the side of it. 
