THE FORCING HOUSE. 139 



the above house is well adapted where a moderate 

 quantity of cut flowers is required. This house is 

 thirty-two feet long, eleven feet wide, twelve feet high 

 at the back, and five feet high in front ; the construc- 

 tion, cost, and utility of it are worthy of notice for either 

 an amateur or a professional. 



The total cost of this 'structure by a nice calculation 

 is not more than 6ll. 4s. everything complete, and 

 double-glazed also with fast top clips on the vertical 

 bar, with a good and powerful heating apparatus, pit, 

 and front staging, and everything as is shown. It will 

 take 1,586 bricks for the outer walls except the back 

 wall, 1,719 bricks for the pit, 1,100 feet of 21-oz. glass, 

 1,080 clips for glazing, and a 30L heating apparatus, 

 &c. &c., the materials to be of the very best kind, and 

 the work equal to any in a plain way. Ornamental 

 work contributes to appearance only, and is all very 

 well for setting off a mansion or dwelling house, and 

 perhaps may be necessary in some cases, but plants will 

 not grow any the better for ornamental work, and it is 

 three times the expense, and, I may safely say, 

 depreciates much sooner than solid plain work. 



The cost of such a house complete, if constructed 

 by most of the common builders, will not be one shilling 

 less than 110Z. or 1201. I have no doubt that if any 

 one simply sends the dimensions of this house to any 

 professional builder of such things, and asks for an es- 

 timate, that 1201. will be the lowest figure. Not long 

 since I drew a plan, for a gentleman, of a house, and 

 gave the estimate for the construction and glazing of 

 it, which was considerably less than 50 per cent, of 

 the price that one or two professional builders did really 

 give in for the contract ; but he got it done at my 



