338 
MOSS-HOUSES. 
[chap. x. 
possible of the same size. The number 
of pillars and the manner in which they 
are to be arranged depends, of course, on 
the design; but the general number is from 
eight to twelve. Great care must be taken 
to drive the posts firmly into the ground, and 
all to the same depth. The rafters for the 
roof are then fixed on, and narrow laths, 
or hazel rods, nailed between them, and also 
between the uprights. Between these laths 
or rods the moss is pushed with a wedge- 
shaped piece of wood; the pattern having 
been first rudely traced with chalk on the 
outside of the rods. The moss to be used 
should be first collected and sorted, all of the 
same kind being put together; and when it 
is used the root end should always be the 
part pushed in between the rods. The prin¬ 
cipal mosses fit for this purpose are the rein¬ 
deer moss, Cenomyce rangifera, and its allies, 
many of which are found in abundance on 
Bagshot Heath, and other commons near 
London, and nearly all of which are white: 
the different kinds of Bryum, all of which are 
very neat and compact growing mosses, 
sending up long stalks bearing their seed- 
