AUGUST 23, 1900. 



The Weekly Florists' Review, 



347 



WHAT I THINK I KNOW ABOUT 

 GREENHOUSE CONSTRUC- 

 TION. 



Bv J. D. Carmodv. 



To attain the best results in any branch 

 of industry the best methods must be 

 employed. Especially is this true ot 

 plant culture under gla.ss. Never until 

 good houses were constructed was it pos- 

 sible to grow such roses and carnations 

 as now gladden the eyes of mortals and 

 make the business of floriculture a finan- 

 cial success. 



But it took many years to attain the 

 perfection in plant houses which enables 

 the florist to produce these perfect flow- 

 ers. Those of us on whom time has 

 carved fantastic wrinkles and ornament- 

 ed with silver locks can well remember 

 the make-shifts, and dugouts, heated by 

 brick flues ,that were dignitied by the 

 name of greenhouses. They bore the 

 same relation to the present commercial 

 houses that the stage coaches of that 

 day did to the present palace railroad 

 cars. The progress of transformation 

 was exceedingly slow from the fact that 

 not every one who has the requisite abil- 

 ity to grow good flowers possesses also 

 the mechanical genius to plan and build 

 a structure especially adapted to their 

 best development. And it was only when 

 the florist and mechanic combined their 

 efforts, resulting in greenhouse building 

 becoming a special industry, that per- 

 fection In floriculture under glass was 

 approached. 



Be it understood I am not writing this 

 article for those who are able to employ 

 the specialist to place the house in po- 

 sition ready for occupancy, but rather 

 for those of moderate means who go into 

 the business of growing flowers for the 

 love of them and with a desire if suc- 

 cessful to make a living by their pro- 

 duction. I desire also to assist the veg- 

 etable grower to put a root of glass over 

 his lettuce and cauliflower and relieve 

 him from the inconvenience of the cold- 

 frame and hot-beds which are now rap- 

 idly giving way to plant houses. 



The ordinary village carpenter has not 

 the first correct idea as to the construc- 

 tion of a plant house, but if furnished a 

 few sectional drawings and watched by 

 tlie gardener who has seen or read up 

 on such structures a great many mis- 

 takes can be avoided, and greenhouses 

 can be put up by home labor and out of 

 home material, and the proprietor by do- 

 ing a share of the work can save not a 

 little of the expense. At the present 

 time, thanks to machinery, the sa.«h and 

 sash-bars can be gotten from the facto- 

 ries fully as cheap and in better shape, 

 and I would advise to patronize green- 

 house builders to that extent. 



The first thing to have in building a 

 greenhouse is the ground to put it on. 

 and right 'here let me say if possible have 

 a deed for the ground before you com- 

 mence building. You may think the price 

 too high, but >ou may be sure as a rule 

 the improvements you put on the ground 

 will not reduce the value. If ground 

 selected Is on the outskirts of the city— 

 as it should be — in a short time the city 

 will build out beyond the location and 

 the price will go higher rather than 

 lower. I know of many florists who by 

 the sale of their greenhouse property late 

 in life were able to retire with a com- 

 petency, making more out of the rise in 

 real estate than they saved in all those 

 years of labor by the sale of plants and 

 flowers. 



I would not advise to build in a city 

 among high buildings or near smoky 

 factories. A leaking gas main will in a 

 few hours ruin a house full of plants. 

 (The writer has experienced loss in this 

 way.i In an atmosphere of dust and 

 smoke good flowers cannot be grown. 

 Ijocate your house so that It cannot be 

 shaded by anything, and if you have sev- 

 eral houses locate them so they do not 

 shade each other. Nothing is so desira- 

 ble in growing cut flowers as clean glass 

 and sunshine. 



In drawing your ground plans study 

 convenience of getting your fuel dropped 

 from the wagon directly beside your heat 



generator. Do not have a deep cellar for 

 your boiler or fireplace, as it makes it 

 inconvenient to get the ashes away. On 

 the character ot the plants intended to 

 be cultivated largely depends the plan 

 of the houses, and by all means settle 

 on a plan and have a complete drawing 

 of same, both ground plan and sectional, 

 before commencing the work. 



Most persons starting in this business 

 expect to increase their range from time 

 to time as occasion demands. Therefore 

 the first house should be located so that 

 it can be enlarged or built by side ot 

 and remain as part of the plant without 

 remodeling. If it is desired to grow 

 principally bedding plants in the start, 

 I would recommend the houses to stand 

 with the length north and south. The 

 first thing to build in starting a green- 

 house is a shed not less than 15 feet 

 wide and as long as the plant house Is 

 in width: this will furnish a workshop 

 and shelter to keep the new lumber dry 

 and a place to paint the material before 

 it is put up. 



NORTH 



year he built house No. 3 and Increased 

 size of boiler by adding on more sec- 

 tions, and so on each year he added more 

 plant space until finding a greater de- 

 mand for cut flowers, a different style 

 of house was needed, also a different as- 

 pect, as good roses and carnations re- 

 quire more sun. A house for their growth 

 should be so located as to get all the sun 

 rays possible, so he changed the houses 

 to stand east and west and No. 1 20x100 

 with shed to cover entrance is his next 

 labor. 



Providence in the shape of industry, 

 economy and good management favoring 

 him, he finally has this plant complete 

 without the loss of a single house by 

 mistake of location or error in construc- 

 tion, a thing that seldom occurs with be- 

 ginners. 



Having completed the plant the begin- 

 ner will proceed to explain some of the 

 whys and wherefores of the construction. 

 He built two 50-foot houses at first in- 

 stead of one of 100 feet because having to 

 use flues to heat with they give better 



OFFICE 



WOR^^ SHEDS 



PALM HOUSE 



;o 



GROUND PLAN 

 GREEN HOUSE PLANT. 



I will now call your attention to this 

 diagram as a ground plan of a range 

 ot houses I would build were I to 

 embark In business to grow a gen- 

 eral assortment of plants and cut 

 flowers, and had an open piece of ground: 

 Here we have the first shed located along 

 the north side of the plant, with a range 

 of tive glazed houses opening into It 

 from the south. These houses are 

 11x100 feet each. Now we will suppose 

 the plant as you see It here laid out 

 represents several years of moderately 

 successful labor of the beginner who 

 years ago bargained for one or two acres 

 of ground in the su_burbs ot the thriving 

 city ot Poseyville, Posey county, Indiana. 

 He had worked in a grocery store for 

 several years and handled flowers tor 

 the proprietor, who sold them for a 

 florist on commission. By handling these 

 he got a liking for them and finally de- 

 cided to go into the business, though hav- 

 ing little money but a good deal ot good 

 sense. The first year he built 5CI feet 

 of houses Nos. 1 and 2 and the ixitting 

 shed across the end as a beginning. He 

 bought sash and rafters ready made 

 from the planing mill and with the help 

 of a carpenter, for a tew days, put the 

 houses up, doing the glazing and most of 

 the work himself. Not having the price 

 of a boiler and pipe, he resorted to the 

 cheaper method ot brick flues under the 

 benches for the first year. 



Having good success the next year, he 

 built 50 feet more on each house and 

 got a tew sections of a cast Iron boiler 

 and pipes to heat by w^ater. (1 recom- 

 mend water heating "for small places, es- 

 pecially as It requires less attention and 

 holds heat longer than steam.) The third 



satisfaction than were they 100 feet long. 



The houses are 11 feet wide to allow a 

 walk of 3 feet in center, with 4 feet side 

 benches. The walks in most single houses 

 are only 2 feet, which Is too narrow for 

 comfort and convenience. The shed 

 should not be less than 15 feet wide, the 

 roof not high and nearly flat, wit'h, a 

 tin or tar paper covering; 16-foot 

 boards will make the roof. The shed is 

 at the north, first, not to shade the 

 houses, and second, to protect from cold 

 northerly winds. The oftlce Is put at the 

 corner nearest to the thoroughfare; the 

 cut flower room In the rear of office for 

 convenience. 



Having laid out our ground plans we 

 will now proceed to construct our houses. 

 The first step after building the shed is 

 to set the posts tor the side walls. These 

 should be set not more than~b"feet apart 

 (4 feet would be better), and of material 

 least subject to decay. I have found red 

 cedar best ot all woods. I have also use<i 

 catalpa. chestnut, locust and heart of 

 white oak with good results. If the posts 

 are charred on the lower end when they 

 go into the ground It will add many 

 years to their existence, or If after the 

 post-hole is halt filled with earth prop- 

 erly rammed the rest Is finished to the 

 ground level wIt'h a grout of one part 

 water-lime cement and three parts sand 

 and gravel It will save from rot for many 

 years. The Ingredients should be mixed 

 dry and wet up in batches for each post- 

 hole: this cement will also keep the posts 

 firm In position. 



After the posts are set In a line and 

 the cement is hardened (it cement is u.sed 

 which Is highly recommended), measure 

 uji from the ground level about 4 fcpt 



