HOKTICULTUKAL STRUCTURES. 129 



XI. — On Structures for Horticultural Purposes. Bj 

 R. Erringtou, C.M.H.S., Gardener to Sir Philip de 

 Malpas Grey Egerton, Bart., F.H.S., Oulton Park, 

 Tarporley, Cbesliire. 



(Communicated February l'2tli, 1S.54.) 



It is really somewhat surprising, amidst the numerous changes 

 which have been taking place in almost every thing connected 

 with gardening affairs, that hothouses, greenhouses, and most of 

 the other in-door appliances, awarded to the Gardener, in order 

 to imitate brighter skies, remain very nearly as they did a score 

 or more years since, as to the question of form. How is this ? 

 If correct, it would seem that the affair is what our printers call 

 stei-eotyped. Sir Joseph Paxton was perhaps one of the first 

 to show the public, that there was no absolute necessity in all 

 cases to erect what have been termed " lean-to" structures ; and 

 that such, in many cases, were not only destitute of effect, 

 but were indeed not particularly qualified to carry out the aims 

 of those who erected them, in deference to mere prescription. 



That the first general idea of forcing structures in Britain 

 should be the " lean-to" was natural enough ; glass was bad, 

 and doubtless long before the modern Vinery or Pinery was in 

 being, our " rude forefather " would, in trying to protect things 

 of doubtful hardihood, or to accelerate, seize on a warm slope 

 having a southern inclination ; and moreover hoist occasionally a 

 rugged covering, to ward off severe weather : this would be a kind 

 of " lean-to." 



Forty or fifty years since, when our glass was almost as opaque 

 as the horn panes of a stable lanthorn, there was indeed every 

 reason for lean-to structures ; " burning" was almost unknown, 

 and indeed every ray of the most intense sunshine was needed, 

 and then fell far sliort of the needs of the vegetation within. 

 But, surely with the production of fine crown glass, the whole 

 question should have been reconsidered ; and strange it is, that 

 no one came forward bold enough to dare to give it a free handling 

 apart from mere custom. When we take into consideration the 

 continual recurrence as years roll on of " scorching," " blistering," 

 " burning," and the various technicalities in gardening phraseo- 

 logy, expressive of injury through the intensity of the solar rays, 

 the question of form may surely be considered an open one, and 



