C lIA l\ II.
Structures used in Gardening.
1981. B y garden-siructures wc mean to designate a class of buildings which differ
from all other ai-cWtectural productions, in being applied to the cultm*e, or used exclusively
os the habitations of plants. As edifices, the principles of thcir constmction belong
to arcliitecture; but as habitations for plants, thcir ibrm, dimensions, exposure, ancl,
in many respects, tlio materials of which they arc composed, ai-e, or ought to be, guided
by tho principles of culture, and therefore under the control of the gardener. They
may be arranged into the movable, as the hotbed frame ; fixed, as the wall, trellis, &c. ;
and permanent, as the hothouse.
S e c t . I. Temporary or Movable Structures.
1982. O f these, some are for protecting plants in fixed places, as against walls or
trellises, and exemplified in the different methods of covering by frames of canvas,
netting, or glass ; others constitute habitations for plants, as the hotbed frame, pit, &c.
S u b s ec t . 1. Structures Portable, or entirely Movable.
1983. Portable structures arc the flowcr-stage, canvas or gauze frame or case, glass
frame or case, glass tent, and glazed frame.
1984. O f thefiower-stage there arc two principal species ; the stage for florists’ flowers
and the stage for decoration.
1985. The stage fo r florists' flowers, when portable, is commonly a series of narrow
shelves, rising in gradation one above the other, and supported by a frame and posts, so
as to be 3 or 3 | feet from the ground at the lowest shelfi These shelves avc enclosed,
generally, on tlirec sides by boards or canvas, and on the fourth side by glass doors. Tins
stage, when in use, is placed so that the glazed side may front the morning sun, or the
north, in order that tho colours of auriculas, carnations, &c., may not be impaired by it.
1986. The decorative stage consists of shelves, rising in
gradation, in various forms, according to taste and parti-
culai” situation. Those to be viewed on all sides are commonly
conical {fig. 555.) or pyramidal; those to be seen
only on one side, triangular. One, used by Mi*s. Fox,
widow of the late celebrated Charles James Fox, at St.
Ann’s Hill, Sui'rey, will be found figured and described
in the Gardener’s Magazine, vol. v. p. 274.
1987. The opaque coveringframes arc borders of board
strengthened by cross or diagonal slips of wood or rods of
iron, and covered with canvas, gauze, woollen, or common netting, or oiled paper. They
arc used for protecting plants from cold, or for sheltering from wind, or shading, cither
singly, supported hy props, or connected so as to form roofs, cases, or enclosures.
1988. The transparent covering, or glazed frame or sash, consists of a boundary fi-ame,
composed of two side pieces called styles, and two end pieces called the top and bottom
rails, with the interspace divided by rebated bars to contain the glass. I t is used as the
opaque covering frames, and has the advantage of them in admitting abundance of light.
In general, the rebated bars are inserted in one plane, as in common hotbed sashes ;
but, in some cases, the surface is in ang-ular ridges, or ridge and fuiTow work (fig. 556.);
cuneiform (fig. 557.) ; or trigonal (fig. 558.) ; in order, in each of these cases, to admit
more ofthe rays of the sun in the morning and afternoon, and to moderate it in the middle
hours of the day. This ridge and furrow surface may also be adopted where very flat
roofs arc fo be glazed, as it will can-y off the water better than any otlier; every ridge
delivering the water to its fun-ow ; and the accumulation there being such as to force it.s
A M
way off by its own gravity. Such frames ai-c used for placing over beds of hot dung,
for growing cucumbers, forcing roots or flowers, and for a great variety of purposes.
The materials of sashes arc commonly timber; but iron, cast and wrought, and copper
arc also used. .
1989. The common glass-case is a glazed wooden frame or frames, so contrived as to
fit together, and cover either single trees, espaliers, or shrabs too large for the hand-glass.
The flavour of plums and chcn-ies on espaliers,
in bad seasons, is much improved by
the use of this structure. In France it is
cliiefly used for peaches. For orange trees,
it consists of a number of frames, cliiefly
parallelogi-ams, but partly right-angled triangles
(fig. 559.), easily put together and
tiikcn asunder; to be used in the summer
months in growing melons, or covering walls
or cspalier-rails; and in winter, in protecting orange trees in situations where they are
planted in rows against walls, or iu groves in the open air.
1990. The hotbed frame is of tlirec kinds, the conunon, the fixcd-bottomcd, and the
movable-bottomed. . , . ,
1991. The common hotbed frame is a rectangular box of wood, bottomless, and highest
at the side to be placed to the north, subdivided by cross-bars dovetailed into the outer
frame, and each subdivision covered by a glazed sash. Knight, instead of having the
iiorth side of the frame highest, had all the four sides of equal height, but formed the
basement of the dung-bed, and built the dung-bed itself, of the slope which he considered
most suitable for the sashes of hotbeds.
1992. The fixed-bottomed frame is the common hotbed frame, with a boarded bottom
for the retention of earth. In the boai-ds are holes for the emission of water.
1993. The adjusiing-bottamed frame has a box for the earth, of the size of the inside
dimensions of the fram e; and the frame, being deep or placed on walls, like those of a
pit, the bottom aud its earth and plants, or its pots and plants, may be raised or lowered
by a machine composed of a pinion and screw, or any other equally convenient power.
The bottom is composed of perforated boards, and it has boarded sides to keep in the earth.
The object is to prevent plants from being bm-nt when the dung is vei-y hot, by raising
them; also, to be able to raise them close to the glass when young, and to lower them^in
cold nights. The cliief difiiculty in managing this frame is, to keep the earth it contains
of uniform moisture. Lawrence, in the last edition of his Kalendar (1715), suggests
the idea of putting a bottom of wire to the frames of hotbeds, and of covering it with
flat tiles, placing over these the earth, &c., so as to admit of the whole being lifted, and
the dung below stfrred or renewed at pleasure. He says ho has not seen it done, but
merely suggests it as a hint to the ingenious. A century aftci-wards, J . Weeks, of the
Horticultural Manufactory, King’s Road, London, invented his patent forcing-frame,
which is that just described. , ^ ,
1994. Separating frames. The component parts of any of the above frames, mstcad
of being mortised into one another, ai-e fastened by keyed iron bolts, which easily admit
of thcir being taken asunder and put under cover when not wanted for u se; these frames
may consequently be preserved longer from decay, and arc also more portable than tho
common sort.
1995. A frame fo r early cucumbers, which has been found to answer better than rnost
others, consists of any common frame supported on wooden posts about 3 ft. high,
placed in two rows at the back and front. These posts are braced together, and a
flooring of boards is placed over them for retaining the mould ; while the dung, or other
fermenting substance, is placed
under and around the whole.
The details, at length, will be
found in the Gardener’s M agazine,
vol. iii. p. 21. Eai-ly cucumbers
were grown by Mr.
Meai-ns, in a pit (fig. 560.), tho
•walls of wliich (a) arc of open
wickerwork. There is a cavity
under the bed (c), into wliich
the steam from the dung-lining
is admitted. Posts of iron or
stone (b) support tliis bed (d),
which is made of slate, stones,
or tile s ; while the cavity between
it and the sides of the
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