12 



of the house. The average grower will think on the face of things that a house of 

 this form of construction will cost more to heat. 



This has been tried out by growers themselves, and they have found that once 

 they get a house to the correct heat it costs considerably less to keep it there. The 

 iron frame houses are usually built wider and higher, and the volume of air helps 

 a lot in lessening the fuel bill ; but the very fact that the iron frame house is so rigid 

 and in this way allows no openings for air to get in, no spreading of Joints or 

 pulling out of nails or breaking of sash bars with over-load of snow, the cost of 

 heating one of these houses is cut down in some cases one-half that of the same area 

 under "houses of other construction. The advantages of iron frame greenhouses 

 and the merits of this construction may be summed up as follows : 



1. Cost of upkeep very small as compared with other forms, of construction. 



2. Solidity. The houses of this form have been in use thirty years and are 

 still in good condition. 



3'. Cost less to lieat. 



4. Glass breakage is considerably less. 



5. Lack of columns. 



6. Minimum shade. 



Objections. — The main objection to houses of this construction is that of 

 initial cost. This is often higher than that of inferior forms. To o^'set that the 

 growers should figure that these are permanent houses built to stay. The 

 upkeep is cut down because there is very little in the house to wear out. Iron 

 frame houses are about as good an insurance as any grower can get for good crops. 

 If he cannot grow crops in these houses he cannot in any other, that is certain. 

 Growers agree that the best is none too good, and a poor thing is dear at any price; 

 and those who have used houses of this stamp recommend them without any hesita- 

 tion as being the lightest, brightest and most economical houses on the market. 



PIPE FEAME CONSTEUCTION". 



For growers having limited capital or those not desiring to build the first class 

 construction as described previously tl^e pipe frame construction is considered as a 

 good investment. This form of construction has met with approval in many parts 

 of the States during later years and many houses of this style are to be found in 

 Ontario. However, the growers in the United States who have had these houses 

 are now building houses ttsing the iron frame construction and the majority state 

 they have better houses and are more satisfied with results. Men intending build- 

 ing small houses which will be used only as plant houses will find this form of con- 

 struction best suited to their needs in many cases. The cost is not so high as those 

 of the iron frame style but the difference is not so much as to warrant building a 

 large range of the pipe frame construction. Both forms are giving good service 

 but the preference is tovv^ard the more substantial and lasting form of houses. 



DESCEIPTTON. 



In this form of c^nstrnction all the snpprrtinG^ members are made of iron 

 pipe — eave or gutter supports, purlin? and purlin supports. Galvanized iron pipe 

 is used in all cases and all supporting meml)ers are set in concrete to a sufficient 

 depth to make them solid. Wooden sash bars are placed on this frame work and 

 held in position by means of a metal band or clasp which goes around the pipe 

 purlin and is held to the bar by two screws. 



