84 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



too high. The main building has sills set on concrete blocks at 

 short distances. The greenhouse part would be better if framed upon 

 brick or concrete walls, but the writer is not even an amateur mason 

 and so the sides were nailed upon uprights set in the ground like 

 fence posts. The only defense for this is that redwood posts are 

 apt to last for a generation and one would be ashamed to build a 

 cheap greenhouse for his grand-children. 



All that is urged in support of the amateur effort is that it works 

 and gives constant satisfaction. It is a great comfort to have a place 

 always ready to receive a seed or a cutting no matter what outside 

 conditions may be; also to have plenty of everything right for plant- 

 ing out when the best time comes for making a start or following for 

 succession. 



The structure also furnishes what every amateur should have a 

 place for tools and garden supplies instead of having them stand in 

 entries or back hallways or fighting the cook for closet room, which 

 is apt to make a man desperate enough to leave everything out in 

 the weather, which is not a good plan even in California. 



The photographic dark room in an outbuilding is also handy for 

 all who are votaries of the camera for then they can slosh water and 

 chemicals around freely without criticism. As however this is not a 

 floral <affair, the cost of its fittings are not included in the estimate 

 of low cost in this particular structure, as given above. 



Whitening for Greenhouses. Although the writer's experience has 

 been as stated, viz: that in California the winter sunshine is too ardent 

 for plants under glass and therefore he uses a durable whitewash 

 which is never fully removed by the rains, it should be stated for the 

 benefit of those living in shady places that the best removable white- 

 wash is made of three parts air-slacked lime to one part Spanish 

 whiting and enough water to put on with a brush without running. If 

 it is not thick enough give another coat after the first has dried. This 

 mixture is very easy to remove in the fall: you can wash it off with the 

 hose if the rains are delayed. 



Temperature in Greenhouses. Although this discussion does not 

 include greenhouses with heating systems, sometimes the sun will heat 

 a small house unduly. It is a mistake to let the temperature rise to 

 90 or 100 and then open the ventilators and doors, and in less than 

 five minutes cause the temperature to fall from 20 to 30. It has 

 injurious effects on plants. The nearer you can keep the temperature 

 to 70 the better the plants will grow, and instead of having tall, 

 spindling, soft, long-jointed growth ready for the attack of disease, 

 you will have strong-stocked, hardy plants that are not so subject to 

 disease, and such plants will winter better even if the temperature goes 

 below freezing. Open the ventilators in the morning when the ther- 



