THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



423 



As to greenhouses being contiguous to the residence, I 

 consider it a mistake. Am not alluding to conserva- 

 tories, but growing houses. They can be located near 

 enough to be a pleasure to the owners, and I may here 

 say that the only way to have your employer take a real 

 pleasure in greenhouses is to produce the best and have 

 them clean and neat at all times. This can be done in 

 practice as well as on paper and the man who does not 

 do it belongs to the past, or soon will. 



The query has been put in a previous issue of the 

 Chronicle, "Should Greenhouses Be Treated Archi- 

 tecturally?" It all depends on circumstances. Where 

 such a course has to be resorted to, the architect and 

 gardener must work together and both should never lose 

 sight of the fact that they are intended to grow plants, 

 besides being a thing of beauty. For such as palms, ferns 

 and orchids these could be located in the part requiring 

 this feature. 



After location has been decided upon, get your proper 

 levels. 



Be sure they are high enough if there is any danger 

 from water. 



Locate the main drain and laterals — the latter should 

 be low enough so as not to interfere with heating 

 trenches, etc. 



Always lay the main drain before proceeding with the 

 building of the boiler room, for if springs or heavy rain 

 be met with during this operation a great deal of unnec- 

 essary trouble and expense will be avoided by following 

 this method. 



See to it that the main drain is of ample size, which 

 should never be less than eight inches in diameter for a 

 range of fifteen thousand feet of glass. The extra cost 

 of pipe of ample size should not be measured when one 

 considers the cost of labor in placing it, also, should at 

 any time you find it necessary to increase the size of your 

 plant, you will find it a source of satisfaction to be pre- 

 pared for this contingency. 



It is well to have all details of construction gone over 

 with the builders, as there are sure to be local conditions 

 that may require careful consideration. 



Here we find it necessary to have steam as well as hot 

 water for heating. For growing roses it is a distinct 

 advantage in many ways, and I believe this applies to most 

 places. 



Fig. 2 shows the location of the two systems. The 

 main flow of steam is a two and one-half inch run over 

 head which is insulated. The reason is to allow the dry 

 air currents from return steam pipes to pass up to the 

 ventilators. 



This of course applies during mild weather in Spring 

 and Fall. It is good practice to keep a crack on the 

 ventilators whenever outside temperature is 40 degree or 

 over in rose houses, also carnations. It may not always 

 be convenient to do this especially where there is no night 

 fireman employed. 



This system of heating prevents dampness settling on 

 the i)lants and keeps the air buoyant, which every good 

 grower will understand the advantage of. We find the 

 steam pipes in the rose houses as shown is sufficient to 

 heat the houses during most of Fall and Spring, and is 

 quite an economical factor, also the houses are under 

 complete control of the grower, so that mildew cannot get 

 a foothold when proper attention is given. 



In the melon houses and vineries one line of 1^-inch 

 pipe is placed along each side of the water heating pipe, 

 with a small condenser at the end. 



Flow and return pipes are not necessary beyond the 

 heating trench, and by keeping them as low as practical 

 here it allows the flow to rise high enough where it leaves 



the trench to prevent too much condensed steam from en- 

 tering the flow pipe at this point. In those houses it is 

 used for three purposes, viz., heating, fumigating with 

 fungicide, also insecticide. 



Fig. 3 shows this system in operation, also location 

 of same. In heating vineries the usual method is to jilace 

 the hot water pipes two feet or so away from the wall. 

 This I consider a mistake, as it places the heat too near 

 the vines and is a source of much trouble in encouraging 

 red spider to get a foothold. 



The builders place the pipes'where they will be most 

 effective from a heating point of view, but in a vinery 

 this is not always practical, at least not in my opinion. I 

 had them placed as shown, and this theory has worked 

 well in practice during the past three seasons. 



Of course it must not be inferred that the placing of the 

 pipes in this position is a sure cure for red spider, but it 

 certainly minimizes the danger of this pest. An intelli- 

 gent use of the hose, with ample pressure of water, is also 

 a necessary factor not to be overlooked, and be it said that 

 the man who persists in harboring red spider on any 

 plants where he has the proper means to combat them 

 with, is a fit subject for the boot. 



In ventilating vineries continuous ventilators shuuld 

 be used where the best results are desired. Those blow 

 holes (I can't find a better name for them) we sometimes 

 see are a poor excuse for bottom ventilation. Where 

 the ventilator is continuous at the bottom a more even 

 distribution of air is admitted ; any good grower knows 

 the advantage of this arrangement. This feature applies 



MR. >r.\CDOX.\T.D TF..STIXG POTS TO SF.K IF THEY .ARE PRY. 



