1873-] HOTHOUSE SHELVING. 165 



coiling, and is of opinion that it is unnecessary, though a little scarifi- 

 cation on the under side might facilitate rooting and expedite the 

 process. W. S. 



HOTHOUSE SHELVinSTG; CHEAP, PROFITABLE, 

 AND GOOD. 



It is my intention here to apply the above terms to the system of lining hot- 

 Jiouse shelves with zinc, but more particularly forcing-houses, where I thmk it 

 is essential. It is not my intention to enlarge on the subject, but merely to 

 show the practical application of the system. 



As the schoolmaster did with the boy after he had made him spell window, 

 he sent him to clean all the windows in the school so that he might really un- 

 derstand what window meant ; so in this case 1 have both spelt my subject 

 and had the practical apj^lication of it, and now I will try and give some reason 

 for introducing it so emphatically. Taking the first named — viz., cheapness. 

 Our shelves cost about 8d. per square foot, fitted and all complete. No doubt 

 this comes to a little expense at first, but I have not the least hesitation in say- 

 ing that it will more than pay itself when the numerous benefits derived are 

 considered. We all know that wooden shelves in a forcing- house stand but a 

 yery short period where strawberries, French-beans, &c., are being continually 

 watered upon them. Of course this depends greatly on how they are kept painted, 

 — but even paint will not save them long ; where, on the other hand, if they are 

 covered with zinc they will last a very long time, although you force plants on 

 them all the year round, simply because they never get wet. I think that this 

 clearly shows that the first expense need not stand in the way. It is not 

 only a cheap but a profitable plan ; but this pertains more particularly to those 

 placed in circumstances similar to my own, and they are these : I have two 

 shelves on the back wall of a forcing-house, the one immediately under the 

 other, both equally good for forcing now ; but iJrevious to having them lined 

 ■with zinc the under one was next to useless, because of the continued deluge 

 coming on the plants from the one above. Now I can have as good a crop on 

 the one as the other ; and not only that, but the whitewashed wall remains 

 white now. Formerly I had not begun to force ten days till all whitewashing 

 labour was in vain (so far as look was concerned) ; for instead of being white, it 

 got covered over with that unsightly, green, glutty substance, which made the 

 place look as if no one had been in it for six months previous. However, these 

 are things of the past with us now. It is not only a cheap and profitable but a 

 good plan, simply because there can be no doubt about it ; and that is more than 

 can be said of wiring garden- walls. My mode of covering shelves with zinc is 

 to have it soldered into 9-foot lengths, and about 2 inches or more broader 

 than the shelf. This is to form a curve to keep the water in ; and inside 

 the curve next the front we have a very strong wire, so that in removing pots 

 off or on to it, the curved or rolled edge may not be injured ; and all the other 

 lengths are exactly the same, and they are made so as to fit into each other to 

 prevent the escape of any water. Of course they might be soldered all into one 

 piece, but it would not be so easily handled in taking them down for cleaning, 

 &c. They are slightly raised towards one end so as to give the water a run. 

 Then at the lower end we have a waste-pipe which conducts the water into the 

 cistern from which we water our vine and peach borders. W. Katej;, 



M 



