1877.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



47 



ought to have at least a few hot-bed sashes to 

 forward early vegetables ; for if they have no 

 means of applying artificial heat to them, the 

 sash will of itself forward some things consider- 

 ably. 



About the middle or end of the month, or still 

 later at the North— say the middle of March- 

 celery and late cabbage may be sown. Here we 

 usually sow the second week in March. 



In the anxiety to have early crops, people 

 often work the ground while it is wet. But 

 nothing is gained, not until it will powder when 

 it is dug, is it fit for turning up. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



PLAN FOR A SMALL VEGETABLE HOUSE. 



m 



BY W. T. BELL, FRANKLIN, PA. 



Thinking that my reply to the following letter, 

 might be of interest to some of your readers, I 

 send you a copy for publication : 



"Dear Sir: — Seeing your article on Green- 

 house Furnaces, in August nuinber of Recorder, 

 I take the liberty to ask you a few questions on 

 the subject. 



"I have grown plants for sale, for the last two or 

 three years, under glass, with good success. I 

 started tomato plants in the house last season, 

 and had them quite early for market; but the 

 little hands are growing, and I am afraid to risk 

 them there again. 



" I purpose to put uid a small greenhouse, and 

 am ignorant of the best plan to build one; and 

 would like to ask you if the following plan is a 

 good one. 



"I think about 21 feet by 10 feet, would be 

 large enough. T purpose to dig it out the 

 above size, and wall up with boards, about two 

 feet above the ground; and have the middle of 

 the roof about two feet higher tlian the sides; 

 with a cistern for water, about eight feet square, 

 and three feet deep. 



" Now, should the cellar for the furnace be five 

 or six feet below the floor of the house, or that 

 depth from the top of the ground? What size 

 glass is best for the sash ? Is one foot fall enough 

 for the roof, or would more be better? Would it 

 do to have a coal-stove in the house, instead of a 

 furnace? As I wish to grow only vegetables for 

 early marketing; commencing to fire about 

 February 1st. Will you give me your idea on the 



above, or give me your plan for the purpose? 



Yours, etc., , 



, Md." 



If I wished to build a vegetable house of the 

 size you mention, I would make it on the surface 

 of the ground; boarding up the sides with rough, 

 cheap lumber, nailed to posts set into the ground, 

 and bank up with earth nearly to the eaves. 



This would make a warm house, and it would 

 be drier than if excavated. If you have no shed 

 at the end of your building, and do not need a 

 cellar in connection with your greenhouse, dig a 

 pit at one corner of the house, outside, large 

 enough to give room to work your fire, put a 

 roof over the pit, and proceed to make your fur- 

 nace and flue, as mentioned in the article you 

 refer to. 



If you expect to use a fuel that will not choke 

 the flue, build the flue along one side of the 

 house, across the end, and return along the other 

 side, to the chimney. Have door to greenhouse, 

 in end, directly under the comb of roof; and 

 benches along each side, with a narrow space at 

 back of bench, to allow the warm air to pass up 

 behind the bench. The sash should be made, not 

 less than IJ inches thick, without cross bars, ex- 

 cept at top and bottom, and should be painted 

 before being glazed. 



Double-strength glass is the cheapest to use ; 

 which should be bedded in putty, and securely 

 fastened with large glazier's tacks. Glass 8x10 

 inches, is a good size to use, placing the long way 

 of the glass with the long way of the sash. The 

 slope of the roof, should be not less than what 

 carpenters call a quarter pitch, to carry off the 

 water properly. 



If you are well supplied with water, on your 

 premises, I would not make a cistern in green- 

 house, as a barrel of water' standing under one 

 of your benches would last you two or three 

 days. A coal-stove in your greenhouse would 

 not prove satisfactory. 



I hope the hints I have given above, may be of 

 service to you, for the sake of the little hands you 

 mention, if for nothing else. 



DECAYING PEAR AND APPLE TREES. 



BY GEN. W. H. NOBLE, BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 



Let no one cut down such, as " cumberers of 

 the ground ;" there is yet wonderful vigor in their 

 bark and limbs. But they w^ant your " help to 

 their infirmities." Thereby good kinds will yield 



