44 GREENHOUSE MANAGEMENT. 



These are bent into an inverted V shape, well rounded 

 over the top, and r re placed between the rows of plants 

 crosswise of the bed. To support the flower stems, he 

 stretches No. 12 galvanized wire lengthwise of the beds 

 about a foot apart, and upon these weaves a diamond- 

 shaped mesh with cotton twine, as is shown in the illus- 

 tration (Fig. 10). Two men on opposite sides of the 

 bed can pass the twine back and forth quite rapidly, at 

 the same time giving it a twist about each of the wires. 



The principal objection to the wire netting is that 

 the meshes are so large that the stems often become 

 tangled in them and are much crowded, and that it is 

 somewhat lacking in stiffness to stand up well. To cor- 

 rect these failings, several haye tried galvanized wire 

 lathing, which has a half-inch square mesh (Fig. 11), 

 and find that it answers much better in both respects. 

 Another modification is in the weaving to support the 

 stems, where, instead of the diamond-shaped mesh with 

 wires a foot or so apart, there is a No. 18 wire stretched 

 lengthwise of the beds each side of every row of plants, 

 and to hold the stems in place the other way, across the 

 beds other wires or twine are placed, so as to form meshes 

 from four to six inches square, through which the stems 

 will grow. If this is placed six or eight inches above 

 the top of the A-shaped lathing, it will hold the stems so 

 loosely that it will be little hindrance in gathering flow- 

 ers or cuttings. One of the advantages of the A-shaped 

 lathing is that it keeps the leaves from resting on the 

 damp soil, and as the hose, when watering, can be held 

 beneath it, there is little need of wetting the leaves, and 

 thus the danger for disease is greatly reduced. By lift- 

 ing the leaves from the bed it also permits the air to cir- 

 culate and aids in the drying out of the soil. 



Whether the individual rings or the wire lathing 

 are used, the best results can only be secured when they 

 are in place before the flower buds form, as then it will 



