784 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



proper has had time to dry too much. A mechanical and smooth job 

 may be made of the top of the wall if the operator will have a white- 

 wash brush aud a bucket of water convenient so as to apply it occa- 

 sionally when the smoothing process is going on by the man with the 

 rowel; a little water and the trowel following until a smooth sur- 

 face is the result. If the ''topping"' part of the work just referred 

 to is not done promptly, much time is lost in the completion of the 

 job. 



''After a few days — according to the weather and the time it takes 

 to dry — the boards on the sides may be removed, and this, of course, 

 must be done carefully; and these sides should receive a coat of 

 cement in which sand has been mixed, in the same proportions as 

 recommended for the top of the wall. Owing to the coarseness of 

 the ashes used here, it is found when the boards are removed that 

 although a more or less uniform or straight surface is presented, 

 enough interstices will remain to give the sanded cement a good 

 hold on the wall when plastered and, when thoroughly dry, the 

 wall will be found as strong as though having been built of bricks, 

 and at very much less cost. 



"As to the cost of the materials, that depends upon what part of 

 the country those who desire to build walls for solid beds in green- 

 houses are living in. In the natural gas region, ashes, which are so 

 plentiful in other parts of the country, are at such a premium that 

 they are quite out of the question in this connection, but in those sec- 

 tions probably, or at least possibly, sand or gravel or broken stone 

 may be had for the hauling or at such a trifling cost that the same 

 results may be obtained as low or at so little or no more cost that 

 the difference is hardly worth considering; besides, it goes without 

 saying that a wall made from sharp sand or gravel or broken stone, 

 with cement in correct proportions is very much more substantial 

 than can possibly be made with refuse ashes, though I must say that 

 I have yet to find that a break has occurred in the walls built as 

 per above method, excepting when some accident happened that no 

 wall could possibly resist. 



''I have one house fitted up with this class of wall on which a 

 a table is built so as to get an idea if possible on which plan roses 

 bloom the best, but so far I am not able to decide. There are so many 

 contingencies arising in the growing of cut flowers during a whole 

 winter season that it is v?ry difficult to decide w^hich is the better 

 plan. One thing we are sure about and that is, a solid bed is easier 

 lo empty and easier to fill than is a table, and no time is lost as in 

 the repairing of the tables. Other matters which must be taken into 

 consideration, whether solid beds or tables are the better, is the 

 nature of the soil in which the plants are to be grown, and above all, 

 thorough and proper drainage must be secured; if not naturally, then 

 it must be made artificiallv." 



