Pennsylvania Farmer, April 26, 1913
\nA Small Greenhouse Heated With The House Furnace<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For people who are considering the question of building a small greenhouse in which to grow flowers, start plants for the family garden, and perhaps supplement their income by selling plants, I wish to tell about the success of B.A. Bassett, of Afton, N.Y., with such a greenhouse heated with the house furnace. This kind of house is especially adapted for those living in city, village or suburban homes, but can be installed by anyone who heats his house with a furnace, for a moderate cost. Mr. Bassett\u2019s greenhouse, as shown in the illustration, is attached to the house, and the pipes from the furnace extend to it.<\/p>\n
Mr. Bassett\u2019s greenhouse is 20 x 30 feet, which is larger than most families would need, and cost about $300, including erection. The most of the greenhouse is used for growing flowers and ornamentals, but the space beneath the benches is used for starting celery plants, which are pricked out in flats and placed in a hot bed or cold frame. Some lettuce and other small vegetables are grown during the winter and in the early spring space is given to all the early plants needed for the garden.<\/p>\n
Mr. Bassett does some commercial gardening, but he first supplies his own family with an abundance of the best from the greenhouse and garden, and his was his main purpose in building his greenhouse. His residence is in a village of a few thousand people, and when they saw his flowers and plants they wanted to buy them, and the results was the first year after building his greenhouse his orders, unsolicited, amounted to about $200. Mr. Bassett estimates the cost of heating his greenhouse about $50 per year, as he paid this amount in addition to his usual coal bill for his residence for one year.<\/p>\n
If we place the cost of this greenhouse at $500, which would be sufficient to build it in most localities, the interest on the investment is about $25 per year. The same city water that is used in the house is also used in the greenhouse at an additional cost of about $5 per year. Including the cost of heating with these amounts, the cost of operating the greenhouse one year is about $80, if we allow a small amount for incidental expenses. If a gardener is employed, his wages must be added to this amount.<\/p>\n
The writer has for many years done considerable gardening under glass, and he regards the small greenhouse, or artificially-heated hot bed not as a luxury, but almost a necessity, of one wished to get the most out of life in a cold climate.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Birney A. Bassett descends from #6B William Bassett of Connecticut as follows: William Bassett of Ct and wife Hannah Dickerman John Bassett (b. 1652) and wife Mercy Todd John Bassett (b. 1691) and wife Elizabeth Thompson William Bassett (b. 1718) … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.bassettbranches.org\/newsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/BirneyBassettGreenhouse.jpg\")
<\/a>The family greenhouse need not be as large as Mr. Bassett\u2019s; in fact, one-half or two-thirds the size would do very well for the average family, and the cost would be correspondingly less.\u00a0 W.H. Jenkins, Delaware, Co., N.Y.<\/p>\n