CHEAP SUBSTITUTE FOR GREEN-HOUSES. 



459 



Mr. Davis says " the umbrage, (mis- 

 called veranda,) is objected to from its 

 not returning on the ends of the build- 

 ing." 



Critique says, " the veranda should ex- 

 tend no further than the walls of the house, 

 unless it return down the sides," &c. 



Mr. D. also asks how the veranda,* I 

 beg his pardon, umbrage, t for I should 

 speak professionally, is shown to be a de- 

 fect, in thus running past the front of the 

 house without returning down its sides ? 

 Why simply, sir, because there is no appa- 

 rent utility in it, and quite certainly no or- 

 nament ; and when neither of these re- 

 quisites are effected, the thing is worth- 

 less — a false pretense. 



Mr. D. " There is no skylight." Then 

 of course there is a deck on the roof, al- 

 though I submit that in placing his "para- 

 pet" (he is right in that term) several feet 

 below its elevation, and giving the sight- 

 seers a chance to "slip," by a mis-step, 

 several feet " down the steep sides" of the 

 roof before the parapet catches them, it 

 would have been better that it were on a 

 level with the deck, — thus making it look 



like a deck instead of looking, as I insist it 

 does, more like a skylight. 



But, I choose not to bandy words with 

 Mr. Davis. He is a very clever and ac- 

 complished architect ; and among his port- 

 folios, which he has heretofore politely 

 given to my observation, (although an en- 

 tire stranger to me personally,) I have seen 

 many very beautiful and tasteful designs, 

 as well as some which appeared to be de- 

 vised more for ornament than utility, or in 

 accordance with true taste or proper keep- 

 ing. Still, like most professional men, I 

 suppose Mr. Davis designs for the many, 

 and must please his customers. It should, 

 however, be borne in mind that an archi- 

 tect can do much to mould the public taste 

 to a correct standard ; and in a country like 

 ours, utility, convenience, and a fitness of 

 things to time, place, and occupation, as 

 well as circumstances ; or perhaps, in bet- 

 ter phrase, " good keeping," should be the 

 great desideratum in all erections of this 

 kind. When we come to " talk the thing 

 down," and mutually understand each other, 

 I fancy he and I would not widely differ. 



Jeffreys. 



CHEAP SUBSTITUTE FOR GREEN-HOUSES. 



BY S. B. GOOKINS, TERRE HAUTE, IA. 



Mr. Downing — I have a word or two to 

 say to those who do not keep green-houses, 

 and therefore deprive themselves of the 

 pleasure of plants in winter. The number 



about 67 feet in length, while the lower roof measures only 56 

 feet, it is very clear that Mr. Davis is correct in calling the 

 roof that extends from the front to the back gable " the main 

 roof;" and it is no less true, that the composition has more char- 

 acter and spirit from keeping the roof on either side subordi- 

 nate to this. En. 



* " Veranda : An oriental word, denotiug a kind of open 

 portico, formed by extending a sloping roof beyond the main 

 building." Noah Wkbstkr. 



t "Umbrage: A shade; a screen of trees; shadow; 



hade; slight appearance; suspicion of injury; offence; re- 



entment.'' Ibid. 



of those who enjoy the luxury of the green- 

 house will ever be small.. Commercial gar- 

 dens must have them of course. To them, 

 however, they are not luxuries, but, as the 

 political economist would say, " articles of 

 prime necessity," being kept for profit. 

 Men of wealth can adorn and beautify their 

 country seats, and gratify their tastes with 

 the spectacle of vegetable life, during the 

 bleak days of winter, by means of the 

 green-house or conservatory, without stop- 



