94 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



a public park or private grounds where the other improvements on 

 the place are in keeping with it. The cost of a well built stone 

 founclatiou is about twice as great as one of ordinary red brick. 

 Brick makes a good foundation, and, if built hollow and laid up in 

 Portland cement, will serve all practical purposes as well as stone. 

 Below the grade, common rubble stonework or concrete is the 

 cheapest and best. The cost of mason work foundations has 

 always been a large proportion of the entire expense of the 

 erection of a greenhouse. To avoid or reduce this part of the 

 cost has been a study with builders, and quite recently this object 

 has been ver}' satisfactorily attained. In place of the foundation 

 wall cast iron posts are substituted and placed under each rafter. 

 To these a base plank is fastened in such a way that it can be 

 readily removed, whenever it may become necessary, without 

 interfering with or injuring any other part of the work. The 

 expense of replacing this base when necessary will be slight. The 

 sides of the house above the base are double boarded, with a 

 double lining of substantial building paper between. This con- 

 struction is not recommended for the best work but is substantial, 

 and for ordinary conditions it will be found satisfactory. The 

 large reduction in the cost of the completed structure will enable 

 many to build who otherwise could not afford a greenhouse. 



Walks. — Tile walks are frequently used in conservatories and 

 add to their attractiveness. Portland cement walks are cheaper 

 than tile, and when put down smoothly and regularly in blocks are 

 very substantial at a moderate cost. In vineries, wood slat walks 

 are used ; these are made in sections in portable form and laid 

 directly on the borders. Slat walks are also frequently used in low 

 cost greenhouses and are quite inexpensive, but as they lie 

 direct!}' on the ground they must be renewed in six or eight years. 



In commercial houses cinders are extensively used for walks and 

 cost very little. There is no reason why such walks should not be 

 used in private places where the houses are employed entirely for 

 growing, and not for exhibition or show houses, at a considerable 

 saving in the cost of construction. 



Potting Room. — A greenhouse is not complete without a pot- 

 ting room attached, where the work of potting plants, washing, 

 etc., can be conveniently done. It is usual to put the heater in the 

 cellar under this room. By making the potting room walls of 

 brick, and the floor of iron beams and arches, the potting room 

 will be nearly fireproof. Almost the only danger from (ire to a 



