363 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Mabch 15, 1859. 
Tin and sheet-iron have been used instead of slate. 
Were I heating a pit in that mode, with the exception of 
some openings to communicate with cross drains near the 
bottom of the interior, I would build the walls of solid 
four-and-a-half-inch work, or, better still, of hollow nine- 
inch work, and the heat from the linings would rise to 
the height of the walls, if a few small openings were 
made inside to prevent the air being confined. In this 
case, provided the openings for the interior cross drains 
were made steam and air-proof, no steam could get into 
the hollow walls ; and thus, both bottom and top heat 
would be secured, though dung or short grass were used 
just as it could be obtained. 
V. Early Melons by dung heat, and neatness no great 
object. In this case I woidd have single-brick-on-bed 
walls, with nine-inch piers every eight feet; would sink 
or have the bed above ground, according to circumstances, 
as to freedom from water; would use sweetened dung and 
leaves inside to start with, supported on a bed of faggots 
or stones; would have the outside linings rather lower 
than the bottom of the stones or faggots inside; and 
would continually add to the lining when necessary, until 
it was nearly as high as the top of the walls. This would 
secure both top and bottom heat in plenty. If bed and 
lining were entirely on the surface, wattled or thatched 
hurdles would be useful for protecting the linings. Even 
in winter, such linings, after they had heated themselves 
dry, would be a good protection ; and if even they yielded 
a little heat, that would enable you to give more air, and 
thus tend to the benefit of the plants inside. A great 
benefit of close over pigeon-holed walls, is, that you need 
not trouble yourself about the sweetness of the dung you 
use outside. In fact, at one time, I used such close-walled 
pits merely as my preparing heaps for inside work, and 
thus lost nothing of the heat from preparation, bringing 
fresh and green manure as the sweet was removed. I 
begin to fear that so much hot water will spoil young 
gardeners for attention to little matters. 
VI. The best arrangements for such a combined pur¬ 
pose, where cost in the first instance is a matter of little 
consideration, provided comfort and efficiehcy be secured. 
These, in unison with pleasant interest, are always best 
attained when we can get among our plants, and attend 
to them, without pulling and rattling at sashes in order 
to get at them, and allowing the plants to suffer, because 
it is too stormy to open the lights and attend to them. 
Here is a nice place feeing the south, nine or ten feet 
wide ; and with a wall behind it, too, some eight feet in 
height. Well, instead of a naiTow pit with walks round 
it, make a wide pit or house, and the walk in the middle 
of it. Suppose you take in nine feet, that will give you a 
platform of three feet three inches on each side, and a 
pathway of thirty inches. If you put hot-water pipes for 
bottom heat, front and back, the front would do for 
Melons to fasten to a trellis to the top of the house; and 
the back would do for a propagating place in spring and 
summer. With only the front bottom-heated, the back 
would do without heating for growing Achimenes, Glox¬ 
inias, &c., before the Melons quite covered the roof. 
The pipes for top heat need only be used in winter. If 
two four-inch pipes went along the front for top heat, 
and returned beneath the front platform, that would be 
enough heat for moderately early Melons in summer; 
and in winter the pipes in the bed could also be exposed. 
As au improvement even upon this, what I should like to 
have myself would be a span-roofed house, facing east 
and west, from nine to twelve feet wide ; height to ridge 
from floor of passage, about eight feet; height of side 
walls, from five feet; walls separating passage from walk 
on each side ; pipes for bottom and top heat on each side 
—the latter only to be used for greenhouse plants in 
winter; air given at the ridge, and side walls; half of 
these walls, and inside of the house, to be below the ground , 
level; and a trellis on each side for plants from fifteen 
to eighteen inches from glass. R- Fish. 
SUMMERFIELD, 
The Seat of Hoeatio Mxcholls, Esq. 
This residence is near Bowden,—and Bowden is au 
ancient village,—situated in Cheshire, about seven miles 
from Manchester. Bound it there are numerous villa 
residences. The place is famous on account of its vene¬ 
rable church, said to be one of the oldest in England. 
I had occasion to visit the place a few days ago. I 
travelled by the Altrincham railway from the Oxford 
Iload station, Manchester, which brought me within a 
mile of Bowden. The rail runs through a rather fiat 
district, thickly studded with villas and market-gardens, 
especially neaf Altrincham, famous for its Carrots. The 
object of my short trip was to see Summerfield, my 
friend Mr. Baines, the gardener there, and his fine col¬ 
lection of Orchids and variegated plants. His employer, 
Horatio Micholls, Esq., is an enthusiast in gardening, 
and spares no expense in purchasing rare and beautiful 
plants, and putting up suitable habitations for them. I 
found every part in good order, and the plants well 
managed. Mr. Baines, like his employer, is a true lover 
of plants, and is very successful in their culture. Indeed, 
I never knew a gardener, who was fond of plants, that 
did not succeed in growing them well, if he had the 
means, and a liberal employer to back him. At this time 
of the year, indeed, there is not much bloom to be seen; 
but a practised eye could easily see that the plants would 
bloom well in due season. 
The mansion stands on a commanding eminence. In 
clear weather, the spectator has a very extensive prospect 
before him ; extending, it was told me, for thirty miles, 
and embracing no less than seven counties in the view. 
It is, happily, out of the reach of the Manchester smoke ; 
and, as the soil is dry, many evergreens thrive luxuriantly. 
The first hothouse I entered is devoted to the Vines, 
which were at rest, and kept so by being trained outside. 
The front windows are moveable, and are brought inwards 
about nine inches. The Vines, consequently, are pro¬ 
tected from heavy snows or rains, and, in a great measure, 
from frost, by the projecting roof. This arrangement 
enables the gardener to make use of the house for forcing 
purposes. I observed some large bush Boses in a healthy 
forward state, full of bud; also other things, such as 
Fuchsias, Lilacs, &c., all being brought forward for early 
bloom. The value of such a house can scarcely be over¬ 
rated. The plant-houses adjoin this vinery. They are 
all low and span-roofed, and placed so that each has a 
communication with the other. I noted a cool and a 
warm Orchid-house ; another devoted to variegated plants 
and Ferns; another to specimen Geraniums ; and another 
to the better kinds of stove shrubs, such as Ixoras, Alla- 
mandas, Francisceas, Dipladenias, and such like. In the 
centre of the house there is a pit filled with tan ; which 
is a great advantage to these plants, by affording bottom 
heat'to the plants when they arc making their summer 
growth. And then I was shown a house filled with 
specimen Azaleas, well set with bud. Mr. Baines gives 
his Azaleas a rather strong heat when growing, in order 
to cause abundance of bloom, and is very successful 
thereby. Lastly, I saw a house filled with young speci¬ 
mens of Now Holland plants. Boronias, Aphelexis, Poly¬ 
galas, Pimcleas, and others are thriving well; and a good 
foundation laid, by careful training, to make them hand¬ 
some plants. 
From the houses we took a stroll through the pleasure- 
ground. Here I found a flower garden laid out for 
bedding plants. It is as all such gardens should be— 
situated near the house, but on a level considerably 
lower; so that, when standing on the terrace-walk, every 
bed and colour of the flowers is seen like looking at a 
map. 
Adjoining the house is a handsome conservatory; well 
furnished, when I called, with Camellias, Epacrises, and 
other early-blooming plants. The Veronica Andersonii ia 
