HOUSES AND CONVENIENCES. 37 



wise erected on a plan, by which it may be readily and 

 economically heated, or rather that the applied heat may 

 not be wasted, consequently, a lean-to form offers the 

 greatest facilities as regards the latter, and a west front the 

 former requirement. There are several reasons why this 

 position is preferable. The coldest winds, more particularly 

 in the early part of the season, being from the west, and 

 Berth-west, there is a better chance of keeping back vege- 

 tation in the spring, and of preventing the invigorating 

 power of the sun at that time, thereby helping the vines 

 to rest for a time, and retarding the buds. It is also ad- 

 visable on account of the young and sappy growth being 

 liable to mildew during the damp and close weather of 

 July and August, at which times this pest is more than 

 usually prolific, and generally when the wind is south, 

 or south-east ; so that if the house be turned, as it were, 

 away from these points, the influence is somewhat des- 

 troyed. It may be thought, from these considerations, 

 that north-west would be better still, so it would, but 

 for the deficiency of sun light that in such case would be 

 the result, for under any and all circumstances, the grape- 

 vine delights in a free exposure to the action of powerful 

 light, and without a due proportion, the after growth will 

 not become sufficiently concentrated to store up the re- 

 quired elaborate juices, or produce healthy and active roots. 

 Improvement, and greater perfection in all buildings, 

 is now advancing with rapid strides, and these lean-to 

 glass houses are beginning to be looked upon as obsolete, 

 and whenever, or wherever such shed-looking structures, 

 with bare back-walls can be, they ought to be avoided* 

 Under some circumstances they are better adapted to the 

 situation of the garden, but it is only where they compose 

 a boundary line of a parallelogram, and when the back 

 partis not seen; in such positions they are admissible' 



