Forcing Houses for Carnations 



distance apart, so as to allow a free circulation of air around the houses 

 and through the side ventilators, as well as to prevent the shading of one 

 house by another. Carnation ranges may be built in solid blocks, with 

 gutters between ; but experience seems to have demonstrated that such wide 

 blocks of houses will not give as good results, either in quality of bloom 

 secured, or in quantity, as the individual houses situated sufficiently distant 

 from each other to afford ample ventilation and avoid shading. This seems 

 to be especially true where the plants are grown in the houses during the 

 hot months. 



I have been asked many times to draw a plan for the best type and 

 size of a carnation house. My preference is for a house 30 ft. wide and 

 from 200 ft. to 400 ft. long, containing four benches from 4 ft. 4 in. to 5 ft. 

 in width, with a double line of ventilators hinged at the ridge, and a con- 

 tinuous line of ventilation under the plate around both sides and at the 

 ends. On page 151 is shown a cross-section of such a house, giving the di- 

 mensions. This house should be glazed with double-thick, first-quality glass, 

 free from all imperfections. The material of which the house is to be 

 built should be either first-class, clear white pine, free from sap, California 

 redwood, or the best quality of gulf cypress, which also should be free 

 from sap. The woodwork shpuld be thoroughly painted with not less than 

 three coats of a first-class quality of white lead in which is mixed a fair 

 proportion of zinc. The priming coat should be brushed on when the wood 

 is thoroughly dry, so that it will take up the oil and bind the paint firmly 

 to the wood. 



In building, all ends of the woodwork, wherever nailed together, or 

 fitted into iron sockets, should be thoroughly brushed with the paint used 

 in priming. I consider the iron framework far superior to wood, as it 

 insures sufficient strength to withstand storms, and at the same time is 

 light enough in structure to create the least shade, thus securing the 

 lightest possible house. The sash bars should be as light as is consistent 

 with sufficient strength to hold the glass firmly in place. The glass should 

 be well bedded in first-quality greenhouse glazing putty, after the second 

 coat of paint has been applied to the woodwork, and should be securely 

 nailed, using preferably a glazing nail from one-half inch to three-quarters 

 inch in length, according to the thickness of the bar. 



Throughout all greenhouse structures the importance of having the 

 greatest strength in connection with lightness and the least shade, must 

 not be lost sight of, and these conditions are best secured with the iron con- 

 struction. Furthermore, if properly built, the iron structure will far outlast 



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