ROSE-FORCING IN AMERICA. 



461 



and trained over it. The rafters were 2-inch by 12-inch plank ; the glass 

 was 6 in. by 8 in. Compared with the houses of to-day, these were like 

 dark cellars. About 1880 came the " Madison period," when the Roses 

 sent from that New-Jersey town and its neighbours were the wonder of 

 the American Rose world. It was there that the three-quarter span house 

 was first built, with its larger glass and glass area, though still far from 

 what builders of to-day consider fine houses. One range erected in 1880 

 is described as glazed with single-thickness glass 10 in. by 12 in., rafters of 

 3-inch by 4-inch hemlock timber, on which were nailed 2^ -inch pine strips to 

 glaze against. Since then rapid strides have been made ; 16-inch by 24-inch 

 glass or larger, double thickness, is used, lapped or butted, and laid in putty, 

 or one of the patented compounds which are supposed to take its place. 

 The rafters are of iron, as light as is compatible with rigidity, and to carry 

 the weight of snow put upon them by the blizzards to which all parts of 

 the country are subject. The sash- bars are made from l^-inch cypress 

 timber, having a groove on each side running the full length of the bar 



Fig. 130.— Section of Sash-bar, showing Condensation Groove. 



to carry the condensation to the eaves and keep it from falling on the 

 plants, thus avoiding all drip. (Fig. 130.) 



A house 20 ft. by 150 ft., newly built and planted, is indeed a thing 

 of beauty. Unusual are the few houses which are now being built 50 ft. 

 to 60 ft. wide and 300 ft. to 600 ft. long. They are the freaks of to-day, as 

 the normal house of to-day was the freak of yesterday. 



The benching of the houses has developed in an interesting manner. 

 Following the staging referred to above, came the raised benches of the 

 Madison period. Tall houses necessitated benches on stilts in order to 

 bring the plants near enough to the glass to get the full benefit of the 

 light. The back bench was at least 6 ft. from the ground ; the next not 

 so far by 18 in., separated from the first by a plank walk of 20 in. or 2 ft. ; 

 the third bench is lowered by about the same distance as between the first 

 and second, and separated from the second by a 12-inch footpath. At the 

 front of the third bench comes a walk sufficiently wide so that a wheel- 

 barrow may be run through, then a low bench directly under the eaves. 

 These benches were so built that they sloped several inches, with the 

 result that the rows of plants at the high side of the bench were always 

 dry, while those at the other side were always too wet. In a house of 

 this description there was ventilation at the ridge and at the front side. 

 In the ridge-ventilation sashes of small size were superseded by larger ones 



