MARKET GARDENING UNDER GLASS. 107 



with putty but with white lead and oil mixed to a syrupy 

 consistency and applied with an oil can. Those who 

 use long broad glass will all testify to the very great 

 advantage of doing away with all possible obstructions 

 to light. 



In the most rudimentary work as well as in higher 

 class gardening, a house of this design will be found 

 practical for efficiency, cheapness, easy heating, and, to 

 the farmer accustomed to the inclement work of manag- 

 ing winter and spring hotbeds, it will be found to save 

 much uncomfortable exposure. The maximum of eleva- 

 tion is six and one-half feet from the bottom of the foot- 

 walk, which is a trench two feet deep cut out of the 

 solid earth, this reducing the volume of air to be heated, 

 as many houses have too much overhead space, and 

 therefore are very expensive to heat. 



Novices in gardening under glass cannot expect to 

 immediately gain a knowledge of the processes practiced 

 by professional men who have given years of close study 

 to the development of the best methods of forcing plants. 

 In order to reap the largest returns from vegetable forc- 

 ing houses the beds should be ready to plant by the end 

 of September, not later than the first week in October. 

 The soil for the beds should be naturally of good texture, 

 and incorporated with a liberal amount of short, well- 

 rotted stable manure that has been composted and thor- 

 oughly worked over, so that the coarser fiber of the 

 straw or litter has disappeared. To get this condition, 

 which is very essential, the manure will have to be in a 

 fermenting heap for nine to twelve months before it is 

 thoroughly fit to use. Garden soil, or old sods, still 

 better, a good percentage of peat, mixed in with the 

 manure, will add to its value for the purposed needed. 

 Gardeners located near large cities obtain street sweep- 

 ings from the streets where horses stand ; this they mix 

 in with the short stable manure, the mass forming, when 



