218 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



December, 1905 



outside cellar doors, the heat from the cellar 

 would be released and the conservatory 

 warmed. By leaving the hall door open 

 and removing the French windows from the 

 living room, we gained more heat and better 

 ventilation. 



The method of enclosing the porch was a 

 matter for much consideration. Our desire 

 was to have as much glass and as little wood 

 as was possible for strength and durability. 

 We also desired the glass panes to butt and 

 not be puttied. It was necessary to have a 

 door in front of the cellar door for the removal 

 of coal ashes, and transoms for ventilation. 

 With this general plan the work was begun. 

 A heavy timber was run along the floor and 

 bolted at the corners (the conservatory must 

 disappear in summer time). A correspond- 

 ing timber ran along the edge of the porch 

 ceiling. Uprights were then placed at cer- 

 tain intervals, and these were grooved to 

 admit of the glass sliding down them. We 



The unpromising proposition we started with. The 

 cellar door and a bii of the porch 



had a large number of n x 14 photographic 

 plates, which had been shipped during a rain 

 storm and had become thoroughly soaked. 

 They were of course useless except as glass, 

 and these, freed from the gelatin, made the 

 glass panes for our conservatory. 



As there would be too much sunlight for 

 the plants in this protected corner, curtains 

 of unbleached muslin were arranged for; 

 the rollers, four and five feet long, respec- 

 tively, were of tin. These were set at the 

 bottom, along the beam, and the curtains 

 drawn up by means of a sash cord and 

 pullies. Thus could the plants be shaded, 

 while the sunlight was let in higher up. 



Two trays about table height were con- 

 structed. They were four inches deep, to 

 admit of sand in them in which to sink the 

 pots. A shelf was made about two inches 

 from the floor on these tray tables, and made 

 an admirable place for seed boxes and for 

 starting bulbs. 



There was great rejoicing when the 

 "garden room," as I love to call it, was com- 

 pleted, for it was my winter garden, and I 

 unconsciously gravitated toward it many 

 times a day. 



We found the curtains insufficient pro- 

 tection from the sun, so we coated the out- 

 side with a wash to keep off the direct rays. 



As for the heating, there was ample, and 

 our cellar was kept in the finest condition. 

 When the thermometer registered four below 

 zero out of doors, the conservatory regis- 

 tered 56°. 



Again, fortune favored us in the watering 

 scheme. The outside attachment for the 

 hose had been placed over the cellar door, 

 and the hose reel beside it, therefore our 

 sprinkling apparatus was right at hand. 



Another item delighted my soul — by 

 closing the doors we could burn nicotine 

 punk and rid the plants of insects. 



The cost of this structure was: 



Labor $31.00 



Lumber 16.42 



Corner iron work 1 .00 



Hardware 4.00 



Door 3-5° 



Sash cord 35 



Total $56.27 



The labor included cutting glass and plac- 

 ing it in the frames where it was needed. 



The flowers throve beautifully, our favor- 

 gites for the winter time bein the Dutch bulbs. 



while we raised radishes in February, lettuce 

 in March, and had pansy and tomato plants 

 ready to set out when spring opened. 



A Late Garden Made from a 

 Refuse Heap 



A. Bowen, Michigan 



TT was a sorry looking place in the spring. 

 A There were sticks, stones, bricks, dirty 

 old matting, plumbers' refuse, tall weeds — it 

 '•was full of rubbish. Nothing was done to it 

 until July 6th, when I cleaned it out partially, 

 spaded it and raked it. The tall buildings 

 shut out all sunshine, except from one till 

 three o'clock, and the soil was poor, yet we 

 had green tomatoes, string beans, lettuce, 

 radishes, onions and flowers, before the end 

 of the season. 



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Starting radishes and lettuce in flats for early crops 



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Showing the construction of the wooden trays that 

 hold the flower pots 



Outside the conservatory ; showing the door opening 

 into it, and the coated glass 



LooKing into the garden from the dining-room door. 

 Flowers inside; a snowstorm without 



The curtain of cheesecloth, raised to Keep the strong 

 sun from scorching the delicate plants 



