6 



greenhouse construction, is modified to suit conditions and to cut down the cost of 

 production. High eaves are built in the first place to allow plenty of head room 

 for growing plants, such as tomatoes or cucumbers, which need stakes or trellis 

 work for support. To give this necessary head room the eaves are usually built 

 six and one-half or seven feet. This gives ample room for glass sides and also 

 side ventilators. It is recommended on any house thirty feet or over that the 

 eaves be placed at least six feet above the level of the surface soil. Lower eave 

 plates than this cause endless knocking against the roof members and greatly 

 iiamper the economic handling of plants. 



DIRECTION OF THE EIDGE. 



Different ideas are prevalent with regard to the direction of the ridge of a 

 greenhouse. Many experienced growers prefer to have the ridge run east and west, 

 and many others have a preference toward having the ridge run north and south. 

 In the old style house, where the sash bars were heavy and close together, there was 

 more room for argument on this question, but to-day, when the wide houses are 

 being built of materials which cut down the possibility of shade to a minimum, 

 it seems that houses running east and west and north and south give equally 

 as good results. The question of the direction of the ridge is an open one, and, 

 as said hefore, different growers prefer each. It seems that this point has been 

 given altogether too much attention, and the result of investigation regarding it 

 leads to the following conclusion : Build the house facing either south or west, 

 according to the location which you have. While men favor both east and west 

 and north and south, the majority seem to favor east and west, but can give no 

 specific reason for so doing. 



Previously only narrow, low roofed houses were used, but wider ones are now the only 

 ones in demand. The change from 14 ft. to 75 ft. houses can plainly be seen here. 



WIDTH OF HOUSES. 



Practically all greenhouses built up to the last fifteen years have been of 

 comparatively narrow widths. This has been due largely to the mistaken idea that 

 the plants should be located as near the glass as possible. During later years this 

 idea has been misproven, and houses are now being built much wider. The large 



