366 THE FLORIST. 



mansion ; and we know of no instance where the show house for plants 

 is so efficiently and unobtrusively connected with the mansion, and when 

 lighted up at night and thrown open to the drawing-room the effect of 

 the plants must be charming. But although one of the most elegant, 

 and in many respects best arranged, houses in the country, it is, 

 unfortunately, very ill adapted for plants, owing to the want of anything 

 like proper means of ventilation. The south fronts, which rise one 

 above the other in the way of the Crystal Palace, are altogether some- 

 thing like 20 feet high, and are glazed with large squares of plate glass ; 

 the roofs are ridge and furrow, and are also glazed with large pieces of 

 sheet glass, and, with the exception of the entrance doors, and small 

 opening in each end communicating with chimneys, no further ventila- 

 tion has been provided. This part of the arrangement, with the heating, 

 was entrusted to the late Mr. Sylvester, who was employed to 

 ventilate 'and heat the mansion. He appears to have depended 

 on obtaining a sufficient supply of fresh air from the gratings in the 

 raised edges of the beds just above the floor, and communicating with a 

 shaft at a considerable distance from the house ; but this is, as might 

 have been expected, useless, or nearly so, in summer, for the air in the 

 tunnel and shafts under the house being, of course, considerably colder 

 than that in the house, is not likely to ascend to displace heated air. 

 It is probably useless, however, making any remarks about this system 

 of ventilation, for we cannot believe that it has outlived its author, but 

 we may just say that we are always sorry when we see that liberal men 

 have been misled by incompetent advisers ; and if parties erecting 

 expensive plant houses would keep their own interest in view, and consult 

 some man of known ability as a horticultural architect, such blunders 

 as have been committed here would be avoided. This house is chiefly 

 filled with plants in bloom brought from the houses in the kitchen garden, 

 and as it is found difficult to preserve the twiners on the pillars, &c., in 

 health for any length of time, this is probably the only way in which it 

 could be furnished with plants in good condition. A good bold broad 

 terrace extends in front of the conservatory, &c., and the flower garden 

 is reached from this by a flight of steps. We annex a plan of half the 

 flower garden (the other half being exactly similar, and divided from 

 this by a broad gravel walk), from which it will be seen how it is 

 planted ; everything is kept closely pegged down, so that the plants 

 might not destroy the effect of the plan of the garden. 



The lawn extends to a considerable distance beyond the flower 

 garden, and a small stream runs through it, which is made to fall over 

 a cleverly executed piece of artificial rockwork, which is seen from all 

 the windows in the south front of the mansion, and but that the water 

 passes through some bleach works, &c., higher up its course, this stream 

 would add greatly to the attractions of this part of the grounds ; but so 

 offensive has the water become when it is low in summer, that it is 

 purposed to cover it in. On the west side of the house the grounds 

 slope gracefully from the terrace down to a sheet of water, and altogether 

 the laying out of the place reflects great credit upon those who have had 

 the management of it. 



Mr. Watts has not been satisfied to wait for effect from planting 



