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reason the houses were built with short sides and the crops were grown on benches 

 raised up from the surface of the soil to about four or five feet, thus bringing 

 the plants fairly close to the roof. During late years this idea has almost entirely 

 disappeared, and lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers are set in the soil as it has 

 been enclosed by the glass house. No raising of beds is to be found in any of 

 the larger plants where vegetables are grown extensively. There are certain 

 points in favor of both of these methods and it may be of interest to go over 

 them briefly here. In a greenhouse 75 by 200, for example, all operations of 

 cultivation, etc., are carried on by means of horses. Plowing, harrowing, disking 

 and spreading of manure, lime or fertilizer are all done by means of horse drawn 

 implements, and for this reason no raised benches are found in houses of this 

 kind. It is quite obvious why plants can be handled quicker and with less labor 

 on ground beds and such operations as tying of supports, staking or even trans- 

 planting can be carried on much more satisfactorily. G-rowers find that they 

 can grow any crop just as satisfactorily on solid beds as on the raised benches 

 used by many growers for years. 



In case of a small house, say 22 by 80, where the grower is not making a 



specialty of indoor crops, but is using the house more as a plant house for 



early plants such as cabbage, tomatoes, onions and celery, etc., the raised benches 



are very often used with success. Conditions are entirely different in houses of 



this width, and it is quite possible that better results may be had from raised 



benches for starting early plants. Watering can is controlled more easily and 



that is a prime necessity in a plant house. In houses of this size, and using 



raised benches, their height from the soil will depend on the grower's individual 



ideas. Some prefer them only (two and one-half feet from the surface, others 



three feet up to four feet. A very good bench is one raised three feet from the 



top of the surface soil. Heating pipe will have to be laid under this to get 



the best results, and as a general rule a section of the return runs are brought 



back under the benches. Where it is desired to force rhubarb in the greenhouse 



the raised benches serve the purpose better than any other method. There is 



sufficient room for the plants, the hea;t can be controlled, the plants are out of 



the way, and the darkening can be controlled as well. 



Points against the use of raised benches are : — 



1. Initial cost is very high and so is the upkeep, as the benches are con- 

 tinually rotting out. 



2. Cultivation cannot be easily handled. 



3. A great deal of space is wasted by paths, etc. 



Raised benches seem to be the best thing for the small greenhouse grower, 

 because he can force his rhmbarb or grow his mushrooms under them, and he 

 is not pressed for time, etc., and uses the house more as a plant house, making 

 what returns he can during the winter months. For the commercial grower 

 the solid beds are recommended and give entire .satisfaction on good soil which 

 has the proper drainage, etc. 



The benches are supported by cedar posts or by solid concrete supports, 

 the latter being fitted with an enlarged base which sits on the ground and supports 

 either wooden or concrete sides. Ordinary pine or hemlock is often used for 

 these benches, but most florists prefer cypress on account of its lasting powers, 

 and pecky cypress is coming into favor more each year. Pipe supports are 

 now being used considerably for the support of benches, and give very good satis- 

 faction. The width of the bench, etc., would determine the size of bracing of 

 pipe. Benches for use in vegetable houses usually have six to eight inches of soil. 



