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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



not use the long struts shown in the other plan, but have seven lines of 

 posts, making the house stiffer. All fittings are bolted through the pipe 

 instead of trusting to set screws. The sash-bars are full 35 ft. long, with 

 only a cross section of If in. by 2f in., very light for that length. We 

 use angle-iron purlines 2 in. by 2 in., and no rafters of any kind. Glass 

 is 16 in. by 24 in., put 24-inch way, and the house is as light as a bright 

 day. . . . You will please note that the Roses are planted in the field, and 

 a strip of wood 2 in. high marks the edge. We used a horse and harrow 

 to get the ground in shape. For our present house we have manured 

 the whole plot, ploughed it up, and harrowed it to a level before the car- 

 penters began work. In the house we put up last year we had ' Golden 

 Gate,' 'Brides,' 'Bridesmaids,' and 1 Beauties,' and all did well. We are 

 cutting, on an average, 20,000 Roses a month from that house. The 

 new house is for ' Queen of Edgely,' and will house 10,000 plants." (Fig. 

 133.) 



Many important problems must be decided in choosing the position 

 for a range of houses. Some of the chief are : — 



1st. The necessity for securing as much sunlight as possible. So 

 many schemes are there for doing this that one is almost tempted to 

 believe that there are more ways than one for the sun to shine. Some 

 advocate putting the short span to the south, some the reverse. A very 

 good way, and one which has proved itself satisfactory, is to have the cross 

 house run due north and south, with the houses opening off, due east and 

 west. Thus there is very little shadow from the cross house, only that 

 cast on the house to the eastward. The individual houses in the range 

 are set far enough apart so that their shadows at their longest do not 

 reach the house behind. 



2nd. The ease of obtaining fuel, of which an unending supply is 

 needed, for in the large places the fires are not out from year's end to 

 year's end. Anthracite coal in one of its marketable forms is the best, for 

 there is no smoke-deposit as there is from bituminous. Furthermore, the 

 ash from anthracite is very useful in crocking pots and in making a foun- 

 dation to set pots upon, holding moisture and being a dainty for which 

 the roots eagerly seek. The ash from bituminous coal is poisonous to 

 Rose plants. 



3rd. The relation to the market, which to the commercial Rose- 

 grower is a very important point, and, with its corollary, the means of 

 transport, is often the deciding factor. 



The development of the manner and method of heating, from the time 

 when manure and straw mats furnished the heat, till to-day, is very great. 

 All heating comes under the head of steam or hot water, but there the 

 similarity seems to cease, so complicated and so varied are the systems. 

 Theories are rife, and, as is often the case, practice in many instances 

 gives the lie to theories. 



Granted that the houses are built in good form, situation, exposure, 

 piped for heat and water, the next step is to make ready for the planting. 

 Preparation for this has been going on for a. long time, if the range be 

 not a new one : either in the propagating house, where the cuttings are 

 rooted, or in the " Wardian case," where the secrets of the grafting process 

 are unfolded. We assume all to be in readiness now. If the houses are 



