SOMETHIXG ABOUT FLOWERS. 



29 



such ? WouW it not have a tendency to 

 make them more famihar with what grows 

 in their own surroundings? It has beea 

 said that the best and cleverest men and 

 women in all other pursuits have been 

 reared in the rural homes of meager circum- 

 stances. If this is true is there not a 

 chance for the aniateur to rise in the art of 

 gardening even, to the strength of a Groff, 

 Dale or Dunlop? Give them a fair chance 

 since gardening is the only recreation in 



which a man of limited means may equal 

 the owner of a thousand acres. Although 

 the owner of only a single lot and ten cents 

 worth of seeds, he can produce whatever 

 he grows quite as well as my lord can his, 

 and his pleasure in doing so may be greater 

 to him than that of the nobleman to whom 

 he may be laborer. Gardening offers so 

 many subjects for an amateur's attention 

 that he or she need not take up that which 

 some one else excells in. 



A CHEAP GREENHOUSE 



W. G. ROOK, TORONTO, ONT. 



AT a meeting of the diiectors of our 

 society the opinion was expressed 

 that many of our members would have 

 greenhouses if they knew they could be ob- 

 tained for a small expenditure. As I have 

 succeeded in building a small greenhouse at 

 but slight expense my experience might be 

 of value to others. 



Early in the spring of 1900 I decided i 

 would build a small greenhouse in which to 

 grow the plants I wished to grow in my 

 own garden. The snow was cleaned from 

 the spot selected and soon the ground 

 thawed sufficiently to enable me to com- 

 mence building. Two sash, seven by eight 

 feet, were purchased for $3.75. The lum- 

 ber for the sides, ends and benches and the 

 glass for the end cost $7.70. When this 

 material was placed in position I had a 

 greenhouse eight by ten feet. 



There not being sufficient time for nie to 

 put in a heating system I formed one of the 

 benches into a bin and filled it wdth fresh 

 manure. This gave enough heat to keep 

 out the late frosts and enabled m.e to grow 

 2,000 annuals besides my chrysanthemums 

 for the fall. My success encouraged me 

 to purchase another frame for $1.75 and 

 lumber for $5.35 with which to build a pot- 



* R.v tract from a,n address de'ivered Ijefore the Toronto I'liticu 

 read at their meetings. 



ting shed and a place for the heater. This 

 also being a success, I added in the spring 

 of igo2 another eight feet, which gave me 

 a house 12 by 25 feet. The total cost of 

 construction, including even the latch on 

 the door, was $60. There was no expense 

 for labor, as the building was erected and 

 the heating system installed by myself with 

 the assistance of a former member of this 

 society. 



The house is heated by a Globe heater 

 with a Bigley coil inside. One one-and-a- 

 half-inch flow runs from the coil to the 

 greenhouse and then enters two one-inch 

 pipes, which carry the water around the 

 house and return it to the heater. A tem- 

 perature of 50 degrees can be maintained 

 at night with the weather at zero. During 

 the winter between three and four tons of 

 coal are required to heat the house. The 

 heater and pipes used were bought second 

 hand and cost, with all necessary connec- 

 tions, $15. which is included in the $60 men- 

 tioned. 



In 1901 I grew about 2,000 annuals. In 

 1902 I again grew about 2,000 annuals and 

 filled my hanging baskets and window 

 boxes. During 1903 I grew 4,000 annuals 

 and 500 chrysanthemums, and am now 



tural Society. Societies are invited to forward interesting papsrs 



