160 THE VILLA (JARDENKR. 



whether large or small, has the side and end walls of masonry ; the hack 

 wall seldom above 7 or 8 feet high ; no part glass but the roof, and commonly 

 with only one narrow walk at the back. The saving, both in original con- 

 struction and in future repairs, is obvious ; and evei-y good gardener knows 

 that in such houses the forcing is not only conducted with less labour and 

 expense, but in general produces better results, than in large houses. 



247. The conservatory and flower-garden. — The conservatory has been 

 already treated of, as an appendage to the mansion, in pp. 54. to 57. inclu- 

 sive, and several designs for conservatories and other kinds of plant-houses 

 will be given in an after part of this work. To be truly enjoyed as a luxury, 

 it ought to be connected with the house, and entered from one or more of the 

 principal living rooms. The flower-garden ought to be near the conservatory, 

 in order that it may be at all times reached from the house in a few minutes, 

 and also that it may, by its richness and high keeping, add to the appearance 

 of art and refinement in the immediate vicinity of the mansion. Conserva- 

 tories may either be of glass on all sides, and connected with the mansion by 

 one end ; or they may be placed lengthwise against the mansion, or against 

 a wall projected from it, or against the ofiices ; in either of which cases, only 

 the front and the roof need to be of glass. The latter kind of conservatories, or 

 green-houses, are always heated and managed at less expense in the winter 

 season, than those which are of glass on all sides ; and the plants in all con- 

 servatories always look well in an invei'se proportion to the artificial heat 

 required. The main reason why a conservatory with glass only ^pn one side 

 requires so much less artificial heat in the winter time is, that the glazed side 

 is generally contrived so as to front the sovith ; and, while this and the glass 

 roof admit all the rays that the sun gives at that season, the thick wall on 

 the north side protects the conservatory from the cold north winds. A very 

 convenient arrangement, where the aspect is suitable, is, to place the con- 

 servatory against the exterior wall of the buildings of the kitchen-court; and, 

 between this and the kitchen-garden, to form a flued conservative wall against 

 the drying-ground, poultry-yard, and stables, and to continue it on, either in 

 straight or in curved lines, or in a combination of these, as far as the wall of 

 the kitchen-garden. The flower-garden might, in this case, be placed in 

 some part of the lawn in front of the conservative wall, that is to say, the 

 general flower-garden ; because, where there is a great attachment to plants, 

 and the place consists of two or three acres, there may be an American gar- 

 den, an ericetum, an alpine garden, a marsh garden, an aquarium, &c. 

 (which may all be considered as belonging to the class of flower-gardens), in 

 various parts of the grounds. 



248. The dfainage of the house and offices, and of the entire place, may 

 next be taken into consideration. In the country, in general, there are no 

 public sewers, as there are near large towns ; but, nevertheless, there are road- 

 side, or field, ditches, and natural brooks, which receive the surface water 

 produced by the rains on the given tract of country ; and into these all drains, 

 whether for drying the soil, or carrying off" the waste water from the dwelling- 

 house and offices, must be made to empty themselves. In general, there 

 ought to be one main drain from the house, through the centre of the courts 

 of offices, to a large liquid manure tank ; or, what is preferable, there may 

 be two tanks, that the one may be filling while the other is being emptied. 

 If the manure produced in these tanks be projjerly valued, and, consequently, 



