295 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



tilation perfect. Well-seasoned f-inch deal, planed and jointed, nailed outside 

 the posts, forms the lower part of the house. 



814. In the back wall, sliding shutters, 3 feet by 1, will afford ventilation 

 to the roof ; and about 3 feet from the surface of the ground, two similar 

 sliding shutters will ventilate the lower part of the house behind, and on a 

 level with them. Ventilation is secured by sashes 2 feet 6 inches wide, and 

 running the whole length of the house \inder the wall-plate ; below these 

 sashes the space is filled in with boarding, well painted. In summer, it is im- 

 possible to give too much air. The house is now complete, except the door, 

 which must open inwards for obvious reasons, and may be half glass, or other- 

 wise, at the proprietor's discretion. 



815. Within the house, a trench, 18 inches deep, is formed, to which two steps 

 from the outside will lead. This leaves a platform or border on each side of 

 4 feet 9 inches ; the back border requires to beraised 18 inches, and Mr. Rivers 

 suggests that it would be improved by a second terrace behind the first, of 

 14 inches, supported by a 4-inch brick wall, so that the back row of trees 

 need not be shaded while they are brought nearer to the glass. 



816. Now, everything depends upon these borders ; their surface loose and 

 open, foi'med of old lime-rubbish and road-sand, mixed with manure, may 

 be laid 4 inches deep, the whole forked over, and well mixed with the soil, 

 9 inches deep. The estimate for this house, as given by Mr. Rivers, is £28. 55. 

 A handy person with his tools could probably do the whole for much less ; at 

 least, the material and glass, calculated at the prices in Montgomery's list of 

 sash-bars and rafters, are under £15. We have described this lean-to house. 

 Here is Mr. Rivers's description of a span-roofed house, which comprises the 

 advantage of border as well as pot-cultivation: — Height at sides, 5 feet; 

 height of ridge, 9 feet ; width, 14 feet. The roof rests on oak posts 5 inches 

 by 3 inches. The rafters are 20 inches apart ; it is glazed with 16-oz. glass, in 

 20-inch squares. Under the eave-boards, the sides, back and front, are filled 

 in with glass 15 inches deep, joined without putty. Under this is a ventilating- 

 board, on hinges, opening downwards ; below this are £-inch boards, to the 

 ground ; the two ends are glazed to the same level as the side-lights ; the 

 doors, with glass sash, opening inwards. Over the door, an angular space, 

 9 inches deep, is found sufficient for roof- ventilation ; the rafters, 3-inch by 

 1 2-inch stuff, are tied at the top with a light iron tie screwed to the rafters. 

 No putty is placed in the laps of the glass, which serves every purpose of roof- 

 ventilation found necessary in this house. The only ventilator is the shutter, 

 1 foot deep on each side, and 2 feet 6 inches from the ground, and the angular 

 opening over each door. 



817. The borders in such a roof need not be raised, nor the path sunk, 

 except as a matter of choice ; the}' should have a dressing of manure and 

 sand, or manure and burnt soil, or any loose material well forked over, and 

 mixed with a dressing to the depth of 6 inches, comj^osed of the top spit of a 

 pasture of tenacious loamy soil, which has been exposed to the air for tha 

 Bimimer months, mixed with one-third of well-rotted manure, chopped up into 



