342 THE GREEN-HOUSE 



of wooden framing and glass, for the admission of 

 sunshine and perpendicular light. But still they are 

 so far defective, as that, by their great height, the 

 plants are much more drawn than they ought to 

 be, or would be, in a lower, and better constructed 

 house. 



Houses, that are open on the front only, al- 

 though they have sloping lights on the roof, are next 

 to be objected to; as the plants in such are necessa- 

 rily more drawn and distorted than as if the ends 

 were also glazed. If such be not placed among 

 other buildings, so as that they cannot be altered, 

 they might be very much improved by pulling down 

 the close ends, and by substituting glazed lights ; 

 which, if they be of a moderate height, would ren- 

 der them next best to such houses as are describ- 

 ed below. 



But a complete green-houscy being quite detached 

 from other buildings, should be glazed on all sides. 

 It may be circular, oval, hexagonal, octagonal ; or 

 with two straight sides, and circular ends, which I 

 think the best form of any : — the next best, an oc- 

 tagon, whose sides are not equal, but with two op- 

 posite longer sides, and six shorter sides ; three and 

 three opposite, forming, as one might say, an angii^ 

 lar oval; the ends being angular, instead of round. 

 In either of these last-mentioned forms, the stages 

 and plants may, at least in my mind, be more taste- 

 fully arranged, than in any other. Granting either 

 of these cases. 



The house should be about thirty-six or forty 

 feet long, eighteen or twenty feet wide, and ten, or 



