14 



VEGETABLE FORCING 



The position of the house with reference to the points 

 of the compass has long been a question of argument. 

 Many experienced growers positively claim that it makes 

 no difference whether the house runs east and west or 

 north and south. Houses running east and west admit 

 more sunlight during the short days of the winter, while 

 light distribution is more uniform in those running north 

 and south. The majority of vegetable forcers, especially 

 growers operating three-quarter-span houses, probably 

 prefer buildings running east and west. Many growers 



Fig. 1. A modern range of houses at Toledo, Ohio. 



in the West prefer north and south houses because of the 

 greater comfort in working in them in hot weather. 



Grading the land generally reduces the cost of con- 

 struction, and always makes the work in the daily care of 

 crops more convenient. Water is more evenly applied 

 when the land is comparatively level, and uniform tem- 

 peratures in all parts of the range are more easily 

 maintained. 



Size and proportions. Large houses have many ad- 

 vantages. They are heated more economically, and the 

 cost of operation is less than in a series of small houses 

 of equal area. As previously stated, it is not uncommon 



