1(J8 THE PARKS AND GARDENS OF PARIS. [Chap. XL 



by planting them, liiglily improve the appearance of our gardens 

 and pleasure-grounds, especially in places under the mild influences 

 of the sea and in the west and south of England and Ireland, 



The interior arrangements made in the glass houses here for 

 the convenience of the workmen and for the preservation of the 

 plants in winter are admirable, and should be adojjted in similar 

 instances. We build more hot-houses than any other people, 

 construct them better, and furnish them better ; and therefore it 

 is desirable that in disposing them in relation to each other, we 

 should employ the most economical and convenient plan. They 

 are frequently scattered about without any connection with each 

 other, and there is consequent additional expense and trouble. 

 But, even where the errors of the scattering-system are guarded 

 against, there is seldom an effective means of communication from 

 one to the other without going into the open air. All know how 

 disagreeable it is to pass from a hot stove to frosty or damp air ; 

 it is dangerous to tender plants ; nor can it be otherwise than 

 injurious to the health of those employed in such structures. All 

 these inconveniences are got rid of by the very simple j)lan 

 adopted in the case of the group of houses, the arrangement of 

 which the woodcut may serve to explain. The plant-houses are 

 ranged on each side of a glass-covered passage, and there is no 

 necessity for taking the plants into the open air in winter, or for 

 the men who work in the houses to undergo any change of 

 temperature for hours at a time. The houses are placed so close 

 together, that heating them becomes much less difficult than when 

 they are separated. The advantages of the plan are so great, that 

 nobody building houses for growing or storing plants should 

 neglect to adopt it. For Graperies with the borders outside, it 

 would not be so suitable ; but where good borders are made 

 inside, it would answer well; or the Vineries or Peach-houses 

 might form the outer four houses of each block, leaving the plant- 

 houses and forcing-houses inside. 



Plants may be placed in the passage, when narrow, in half- 

 oval groups between each door. In large places where the houses 

 on each side would be filled with ornamental specimen plants, it 

 would be a good plan to make the glass-covered passage as wide 

 as one of the houses. Beds might be placed between the doors, 

 and climbers run up the roof, thus converting the passage into an 



