348 



The Weekly Florists' Review^ 



AUGUST 23, 1900. 



on the middle post and from 3 to 6 inches 

 lower at one end and the same space 

 higher at the other, so as to Rive the 

 gutter a pitch of from 6 to 12 inches in 

 100 feet toward the end where you wish 

 the water discharged, then stretch a line 

 tight and tack on two horizontal lines 

 of very straight boards to conform with 

 this line, one on the out anil one on the 

 inside of the line of posts. Then saw the 

 top off the post just at the top of these 

 boards; these strips form a rest for the 

 saw and are a gauge to cut by. They 

 also stiffen the posts so they do not work 

 loose and get out of line in the sawing. 

 Now on top of the posts spike on the 

 bottom of your gutter. The best lumber 

 should be used here and he sure there 

 are no sappy places in it. Clear cypress 

 is good, but if the red wood of California 

 can be obtained if is more durable, 

 though in absence of either, white pine, 

 free froni sap, if kept painted, will last 

 many years. We will call your atten- 

 tion to this drawing, which shows a 

 style of gutter which gives me the best 

 satisfaction. This is a full size cross 

 section sketch, with the dimensions as 

 follows: 



Full width of gutter bottom, 12 inches; 

 thickness when dressed, 1 7-S in.; gutter 

 Bides, 1 3-4 in. ; space between, 7 in. ; depth 

 inside, 3 in.; bevel top edge the same as 

 the sash bar, the lower end of which is 

 tacked on top of gutter sides, and space 

 between the sash bars is filled with a 

 block, on top of v/hich the lower light of 

 the glass will rest. We prefer to have 

 the sash bar lay on top of gutter rather 

 than be tacked to the side, as many do, 

 from the fact that this way is stronger 

 and the bar will last longer. Further- 

 more, the drip water will run outside the 

 house through the grooves in the sash 

 bars. No, it will not let in the cold air, 

 for when freezing this small aperture 

 will close up with the ice. ■ Sash bars 

 tacked to side of gutter have nothing but 

 the small nails and the narrow half-inch 

 parting between the glass to hold the 

 lower end up. Again the water of con- 

 densation running down keeps the end of 

 the bar wet and the nails will rust out 

 and the bars soon get rotten. You will 

 notice the bottom of the gutter is phi- 

 listered out to receive the side pieces 

 which are spiked on from the side and 

 also from below, while the outside edge is 

 left standing, which forms a gutter to 

 catcli drip and conduct same out along 

 the main gutter. We show an outside 

 wall and water table, also valley gutter 

 for the latter. We deem it best to spike 

 on cross heads of plank 2 in. thick by 6 

 or 8 in. wide to better support the wide 

 gutter. 



is called ship-lap lumber, as shown 

 in the sketch. Good weather-board, 

 the same as used on frame houses, 

 may be used when other material is not 

 obtainable. If it is desired to make a 

 nice finish, stamped sheet-iron repre- 

 senting brick work may bo used. This 

 should be well painted inside and out and 

 frequently coated outside to prevent 

 rusting. In fact, paint is a good thing 

 to have about a greenhouse, and every 

 joint in constructing should be painted 

 before putting together and each year 

 some portions, particularly the gutter, 

 should be looked after with a view to 

 painting if needed. 



of glass, in the same manner as 

 here shown. The joints between the 

 sash will come over this rafter. 

 This plan makes a much stronger 

 house than to have all the sash bars ex- 

 tend to the ridge pol ». and it is no more 

 expensive, for the material in the sash 

 bar that in other plan is hid under the 

 sash will more than pay for extra size 

 of the rafter. Again, you have the full 

 space of the open sash for ventilation 

 and less shadow. Where the sash bars 

 are long I bore an inch hole through 

 these rafters where support to the bars 

 is needed and run a %-inch pipe through 

 the length of the house; this stiffens the 



BENCH CONSTRUCTION 



h 



We now call your attention to the 

 gable construction. You will observe the 

 top of ridge pole is just flush with the 

 top of the sash bars, or rafters, and 

 comes to a ridge in the center conform- 

 ing on both sides to pitch of the house. 

 The ventilating sash rests on top of the 

 sash bars, or rafters, as the case may 

 be. and the top rail is shaped to conform 

 to slope of the opposite side of the house. 

 Now on top of the sash is spiked or 

 screwed a cap piece as shown, which 

 shuts over the ridge pole, making the 

 joint air and water tight when sash is 

 closed. The sash is hinged at the bot- 

 tom to a tapered block, shown 

 here and elsewhere, of same thickness 

 as the sash and spiked or screwed on to 

 the sash bars or rafters and header 

 close up against the lower edge of sash. 



This sketch shows a full side view of 

 a section of a well-built 11-foot house. 

 Each member is drawn full size, but the 

 length and space between them is half- 

 size, to reduce size of drawing. In 

 a house of this size we prefer to 

 use glass 12 or 14 inches wide, and ev- 



5ID[ VIEW GREEN HOUSE STRUCTURE 



The differently constructed outside 

 wall will not need this extra member. 

 If desired, the outer wall can be made 

 with gutter, omitting the narrow gutter 

 shown in the other sketch. 

 ^<rhe side walls should be constructed 

 with two thicknesses of lumber with tar 

 paper between. The inside lumber may 

 be of common rough boards, while the 

 outside shotild be of dressed flooring, 

 tongue edge up, or what is better, what 



ery fifth sash bar is of extra size. These 

 a!"e same thickness as the other, but 2 

 inches wide, and extend from the gutter 

 to ridge pole. Between these sash bars 

 or rafters is fitted in a cross header and 

 the lighter sash bars, IVj-inch wide, ex- 

 tend only from the gutter to this header, 

 leaving an open space when the sashes 

 are lifted. 



In a house 20 feet wide and larger I 

 would use a rafter 2x4 to every fifth row 



whole structure and supports the sag of 

 the bars better than a wooden purline. 



I advise the center posts to be of 

 IVi-inch pipe, as looking neater and be- 

 ing more lasting. One every 10 or 12 

 feet is sufficient, but never be without 

 them if the house is more than 11 feet 

 wide, and even in this size it is a good 

 plan to set up every 25 feet, a ^i-inch 

 pipe each side of the walk under the 

 heavy sash bar, or. better, bend the pipe 

 into an arch and let the ridge pole rest on 

 the center of arch. It iron pipe is not ob- 

 tainable use 3x3 oak or cedar posts. All 

 posts should rest on a Arm foundation, 

 like a flat stone, or a square of artifi- 

 cial stone made by digging a shallow ex- 

 cavation at the desired place in the 

 ground and filling same witli water-lime, 

 cement, gravel and sand, same as used 

 in setting the posts. Set a spike up end- 

 wise in the center of this concrete, and 

 when solid the spike will serve to hold 

 the bottom of post in position, be It iron 

 or wood. If of wood, bore a hole in bot- 

 tom of post and set it over the nail. 



The outward pressure of the roof on 

 the sides of the building is very great, 

 and without center support the ridge 

 pole will in time sag down, and the sides 

 bulge out. We advocate ventilating sash 

 about 3 feet deep up and down the roof, 

 hinged at bottom, and continuous, being 

 bound together at the top, as shown in 

 illustration, for several reasons: 



First, in union there is strength. Sec- 

 ond, it gives ventilation without draft 

 from side currents that blow in when 

 single sash is used. Third, when hinged 

 at the bottom they are easier raised, as 

 there is less weight on the lifting appli- 

 ance. 



In houses running east and west the 

 sash should be located on the south side, 

 because, when open the sun will still 

 shine through the glass instead of di- 

 rectly on the plant, which is a great ad- 

 vantage when house is shaded. If house 

 stands north and south put sash on west 

 side. It sash opens at the bottom cold 

 winds and scorching sun rays have di- 

 rect access to the plants when sash is 

 open. Without an appliance of some sort 

 that will lift a number of sashes with 

 one operation, continuous sash cannot be 

 used, but whether sashes are single or 

 continuous I contend there is nothing 

 about a greenhouse more useful, or pays 

 for itself quicker, than a ventilating ap- 

 pliance. To open and close sashes b.v 

 h.and. one at a time, is a tiresr)mc and 

 vexatious labor and takes much time 

 that could be better employed. 



