192 



FIXED STRUCTURES WITH GLASS ROOFS 



patent. A conservatory or orchard house ought to be constructed so 

 that ladies may enjoy a walk there with no more feeling of con- 

 straint than in an open garden ; to be able to cut a flower, reach a 

 peach, or water a plant without difficulty, is essential to the enjoyment 

 of such houses. It is not sufficient to be able to get inside, exclaim, 

 ' How beautiful !' and wish to be out again as soon as possible. Similar 

 objections may be urged against covering peach- walls with glass ; a 

 covered wall is no place for enjoyment : but for the production of fruit, 

 irrespective of all other considerations, no one can take exception to such 

 houses as those erected at Dalkeith, which though they may be called 

 covered walls, are wide enough for a row of dwarf trees in front, and 

 a path down the middle. Having often heard the remark, 'If I 

 were living on my own property I would have an orchard house inmie- 



Fig. 157. 



Section of Forster's orchard house. 



diately,' I have great pleasure in calling attention to Foster's patent 

 moveable house on iron supports. It is as strong as any house can be 

 built, and yet may be taken in pieces and removed without difficulty. 

 The feet, pillar, and bracket are all cast in one piece. The roof is 

 made in separate lights, and also the ends and sides, so that there is 

 no occasion to break a pane of glass in removing the whole structure. 

 I have a house erected on this principle, 60 feet by 24, heated by six 

 rows of pipes. It is used as a conservatory, and is a beautiful building. 

 Many persons will remember a storm of wind from the west which 

 occurred on the 3rd of December, 1863. In the neighbourhood of 

 Nottingham it did a great amount of damage, blowing down timber 

 trees and unroofing houses. By that storm many greenhouses were 

 much injured, some having their sides blown quite in, others being 

 partially unroofed. This moveable house proved so much stronger 

 than any house merely resting on brickwork that, excepting the noise, 

 no one could tell a storm was blowing. It will be easily understood 

 that a house having iron pillars every 10 feet, forming part of its 

 sides, must be of immense strength ; and when we take into con- 



