The Garden Under Glass

6 THE GARDEN UNDER GLASS and always to be suspected. Economy may sometimes involve a larger initial outlay, but it is certainly better to know at the beginning that a large expense is to be bome than to be deceived by a small initial outlay involving considerable subsequent expense. As with clothing, fumiture, etc., so with a greenhouse the advice is to give as much as you can afford, insisting in every case on good quality material and sound workmanship. Horticultural builders do not usually catalogue prices, because they are liable to considerable fluctuations, so that the advice I give is to consult two or more builders of repute, stating the wants, the local conditions, and if possible giving a ground and a sectional plan of the structure required. The Ideal Plant House This is rather a favourite subject with me. So often have 1 written on it that I begin to know it by heart. I believe that in a perfect plant house the means of afford-ing light, air, heat and moisture to the plants should be under perfect control. The figures relating to size need not be strictly adhered to, but commensurate with the size of the greenhouse I consider them ideal. I would have this plant house of a span-roofed pattem, with its gables facing north and south to give equal light on all sides. This, however, is not imperative. I would have the length 35 feet, the width 18 feet (inside measurements), theheight to the eaves 5 feet and to the apex 12 feet. The ground floor would be about 6 inches above tlie surrounding ground, and there would be but one door. A side staging would run round the house 3 feet wide and the central staging would be 6 feet wide, leaving an ample width of 3 feet for the pathway. Such houses are sometimes built below the