GREENHOUSE AND HOTHOUSE FLOWERS 145 



on the front of the stage are a long way from the glass ; but it is 

 not in the least necessary to build a sharp-pitched house, and it is 

 rarely done nowadays. A roof with a gentle slope fits in well with 

 a flat stage. The varying heights of the different plants grown 

 will insure informality; if not, a few can be raised here and there 

 on small blocks, or on empty, inverted flower-pots. 



A glass-house should always be fitted with shelves. There 

 should be two, one on each side of the central ridge board, and they 

 should be as broad as the pitch of the 



n 



roof will permit. The great value of 



these adjuncts will be manifest when 



plants are being raised. Seedlings and 



rooted cuttings in fact, all plants in 



their early stages are better on a shelf 



close to the glass than on a stage several 



feet away from it, because they escape 



becoming "drawn" a gardener's phrase, 



descriptive of the elongation, accompanied 



by attenuation, which ensues when a 



plant a long way from the external light 



endeavours to stretch up to it. This 



" drawing " of plants is responsible for 



numerous failures. It is invariably 



accompanied by thin, weak stems and small, almost substanceless 



leaves, the natural succession of which is poor flowering. 



The question may arise as to whether a portion of the sides, 



as well as the roof, should be of glass ; or whether woodwork 



should come quite up to the eaves. The former is preferable in the 

 ase of fairly large houses, but in those of the smallest size say, 

 nose not exceeding four feet to the eaves side glass need not be 



considered. Where side sashes are used it is wise to have one of 



them hinged to serve as an extra ventilator : it will be very 



useful in hot summer weather. 



TRAINING PLANTS ON PILLARS 



A, border ; B, climbing plants ; C, pillar 

 of greenhouse ; D, cross-beam support- 

 ing rafters of greenhouse. 



