244 GARDExV MANAGEMENT. 



grounds, and two communicating with the house ; one, namely, with the library, 

 and the other with the di-awing-room ; the south end being octagon-shaped, 

 with three sashes ; one similar sash and a door bringing the house flush with 

 the south-east wall of the house. These sashes or vertical lights are 6 feet 

 8 inches, fitted into a frame and well secured by bolts on each side and at 

 top : two other lights in the lower part of the same frame turning on an 

 horizontal pivot at its centre^ give the means of ventilating the house, 



658. A beam 45 feet long occupies the centre of the house, supported by 

 the end walls and three hollow pipes nine feet high : upon this beam the central 

 rafters and lights of the roof rest. This beam is cut out so as to incline towards 

 each of the su2^porting pipes, and covered with lead ; thusforr ing a central glitter 

 to collect the water from the roof, which is carried through the pipes into the 

 tank by means of drains. Corresponding beams built into the wall on each 

 side receive the waters on the right and left by means of similar hollow pipes, 

 which serve at once the purpose of drainage and support, 



659. The roof, which was rectilinear, or double-ridged, takes four sashes of 

 4^ feet each, with broad gutters at each side and in the centre, and glazed 

 with panes 4 inches by 5^, the laps being ^ inch, with putty between ; 

 the side-lights having glass 4 inches by 4^. 



660. As the house was laid out for beds and borders, the foundations of the 

 beds a and h were dug out six feet deep and piers raised to support them : 

 e is a tank six feet by four for rain-water, with perfect drainage for the overflow. 

 A pump connected with the tank occupies the north-west corner, and the whole 

 of the beds and borders are surrounded with stone kerbs ; and the house 

 paved, full-glazed, and painted, cost, at the old price of glass, £250. 



66r. The elevation of this house is not very attractive ; the side-lights form 

 a pointed arch, and the brick piers, as well as entablature over them, are 

 heavy in appearance, and must have been ill-suited for the purpose. Cast-iron 

 pillars in place of the piers, with a light moulded cornice, would have been a 

 great improvement, as a matter of taste, besides being much cheaper, and 

 adding a foot or 18 inches to the height and width of the side-lights. In this 

 house ventilating-sh utters were inserted in the roof nearest to the wall of the 

 house. Tinder the improved system of building. Sir Joseph Paxton's S3'stem of 

 ventilating-sashes would apply admirably in connection with the lower panes 

 of the side-lights ; or Mr. Messenger's patent ventilating- ridge, which opens and 

 ghuts very conveniently, by means of a rod and lever, working on an endless 

 chain, as described in par. 6S7, may be aj^plied with advai/age. 



662. The great house at Chatsworth is • built on the ridge-and-furrow 

 system, as it has been called, — a system by which acres of ground may be 

 covered with the greatest ease. It consists of a number of small span-roofs 

 joined together, so to speak ; the length is 97n feet, the breadth 26 feet, 

 sjupported by two rows of cast-iron pillars, one along the centre, the other 

 along the front and ends. These pillars are placed 6^ feet apart in the rows, 

 are three inches diameter, and the front ones hollow, so as to admit a lead 

 pipe, which carries off water from the roof into a drain in the gravel walk. 



