T 



CHAPTER XVI 



Bench Construction 



HE methods of building benches for growing carnations may be divided 

 into four. The first type, and the one most commonly used, is 



The Ordinary Wooden Bench Built Upon Posts 



Carnation benches may be made of varying widths from 3 to 

 5 or 6 feet. In our practice we have finally decided upon a bench either 

 4 ft. 4 in., or 4 ft. 8 in. in width. The 4 ft. 4 in. bench holds six plants in a 

 row, and if the rows are planted twelve inches apart, the plants will have 

 ample room and ventilation to fully develop their flowers. The 4 ft. 8 in. 

 bench will also hold six plants in a row, and is built to accommodate varie- 

 ties of extra vigorous growth. If the bench is made 5 ft. in width, six 

 rows of plants will still fill it. If made 6 ft., another row may be added, but 

 our experience has been that very little has been gained by adding the extra 

 row of plants. The wide benches are also more inconvenient to handle and 

 keep in order, and when picking the flowers. The bench, 4 ft. 4 in. to 5 ft. 

 in width, gives practically as many flowers as the wider bench, and the 

 blooms picked from plants in the center of the bench will be stronger 

 stemmed, and of better quality, than those on very wide benches. The ordi- 

 nary wooden bench is usually built of %-in. to i%-'m. hemlock for the bot- 

 toms, and the sides and bearers set upon cedar, locust or chestnut posts. 



Posts 



The best woods for posts are the yellow locust and red cedar. Next 

 to these are the chestnut and the white cedar. Sassafras, if the sap forma- 

 tion is shaved off, also makes an excellent post, which will last fully as long as 

 white cedar, or chestnut, and probably longer. The hardy catalpa is also 

 recommended as a lasting wood for posts. The bench should be so planned 

 that when completed the top of the soil will be about two feet six inches 

 above the ground. The posts should be set at least eighteen inches into the 

 ground, and the bottom of the hole thoroughly rammed before setting the 



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