THE FLORAL WOULD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 15 



ever, the extent of operations is very limited, the two-light frame will 

 perhaps be found more convenient. The dimensions of the three- 

 light frame are generally ten feet long and four feet wide ; fifteen 

 inches deep at the back, and sloping to seven inches deep at the 

 front ; but here we would recommend an alteration in the depth 

 from fifteen to eighteen inches at the back, and from seven to ten in 

 the front, as these will better suit general purposes. The shallow 

 frames are well adapted for early forcing ; indeed, better so than the 

 deeper, for in dark and cloudy weather, the atmosphere being thick, 

 the insufficiency of light requires that the plants should be near the 

 glass. But for general puposes we prefer the greater depth, as at 

 any time, if the lesser depth should be required, it can easily be 

 obtained by simply raising the soil on the inside of the frame. The 

 wood of which the frame is composed should be iDch and a half deal, 

 well planed and dovetailed together at the joints ; the tops should 

 be tied together by two cross-pieces three inches wide, whi<;h should 

 be dovetailed, one end into the back and the other into the front, and 

 so placed that they will come exactly under where the lights con- 

 verge to each other. These cross-pieces should have a groove 

 running the whole length up the centre of their upper surface, for 

 the purpose of carrying off any water that may lodge between the 

 lights. 



At each end of the frame there should be a piece or slip of wood, 

 three-quarters of an inch thick and about four inches broad, nailed 

 on so as the upper edge will be level with the upper surface of the 

 light. The object of this is to prevent the entrance of cold winds, 

 which are apt to blow under the lights. The lights should be four 

 feet long, and three feet four inches wide, and glazed with strong 

 sixteen-ounce sheet glass, which is now so cheap as to be obtained in 

 large squares, at almost any respectable glass warehouse, for three- 

 pence per foot. We would direct particular attention to this part of 

 the work, as the tradesmen are very apt, notwithstanding the cheap- 

 ness of glass, to make use of small squares of the thin crown glass, 

 which is not near so durable. We would not, however, recommend 

 too large squares, neither would we sanction, as some have, to putty 

 the laps, but, on the contrary, to have rather narrow, say, six-inch 

 squares, and the laps left open, so as to admit of the steam being 

 evaporated, and also to allow the condensed moisture to escape, 

 which, under other circumstances, would be retained on the 

 interior surface of the glass, and keep up a continual drip and 

 humidity, which would eventually, in dull and damp weather, rot the 

 foliage and young shoots of whatever plants were contained in the 

 frame ; besides, in the event of an accident, when the glass is small, 

 the damage is more easily repaired. When the frame is completed, 

 it should be painted white on the inside, and a dark leaden colour on 

 the outside. The advantage of having the inside painted white is 

 the great additional light which it gives, and the benefit which 

 thereby accrues to the plants. 



January. 



