Conservatories for Amateur Horticulturists 



THE average conservatory attached 

 to a dwelling is an expensi\ e lux- 

 ury that only the wealthy can af- 

 ford, or it is a failure for the purpose 

 for which it was originallv designed. 



R. W. King, Toronto 



up appearances, the plants .and bloom 

 found in such conservatories are usually 

 grown elsewhere. 



When an amateur wants a conserva- 

 tory mainly for purposes in trying his 



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The Home Con>ervator7 of an Amateur Horticulturiat in Toronto 



This cut and accompanying plans were furnished by the King Construction Company, Toronto. 



hand at plants or flower growing, there 



As as expensive luxury it has been de- 

 signed by some architect, not a florist, 

 whose main interest is in its architectural 

 anpearance. It must be a handsome ad- 

 dition to the dwelling and treated archi- 

 tecturally to correspond. Rounded glass 

 and circular sashes are usually neces- 

 sary to obtain the desired efl"pct. These 

 add seriously to the cost and if for econ- 

 omy the rounded bars are made of wood 

 they have to be so heavy as to seriously 

 obstruct the lieht that the plants require, 

 more especially in winter. The side 

 woodwork, consistine of the eaves, mul- 

 lions and sash frames, are usually made 

 too heavy while the proper position of 

 the con.servatory as regards light is often 

 a minor consideration. 



An order recently given an expert 

 when criticising the position in which he 

 was asked to design an expensive conser- 

 vatory, stated in imperative terms: "Put 

 it right there ; I am building a house, not 

 a conservatory" ; consequently, this con- 

 servatory, though proportionately expen- 

 sive with the house, is only a pretence 

 as far as a suitable place for the growing 

 of flowers or plants is concerned. To 

 make a suitable show, in order to keep 



is no better place to put it, if the house 



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stands right, than in the back yard. 

 There one can have a conservatory at 

 the cheapest cost and as near as possible 

 what the amateur horticulturist wants ; 

 namely, a place not for show purposes 

 but one wherein he can experiment re- 

 gardless of appearances and as far as 

 possible be on a par with the professional 

 grower, whose main consideration is to 

 obtain efficiency and to avoid burdening 

 his enterprise with useless and unneces- 

 sary expense. 



The photograph reproduced in the ac- 

 companying cut is taken from a view that 

 can be seen any time from the Hamilton 

 train, G. T. R. , when approaching Tor- 

 onto from the west, and is published by 

 kind permission of the owner, Mrs. Miller 

 of Springhurst Avenue, Toronto. The 

 dwelling houses shown are a pair of 

 semi-detached. Originally the porch be- 

 longing to the section to the right was 

 the same as may be partly seen to the 

 left of the picture. In building the con- 

 servatory the porch was first carried up 

 forming an outlook from which a pleas- 

 ant view of the lake and garden, in which 

 the lady takes much pride, could be 

 seen. 



The building up of the porch to form 

 the outlook enabled the conservatory to 

 be carried up a sufficient height to give 

 ample head room under the sash. The 

 porch also protects the glass from the 

 falling of snow and ice from the roof of 

 the building. It forms al.so a potting 

 shed or service building for the conser- 

 vatory, keeping the latter well back and 

 more out of the shade of the dwelling. 

 To avoid overshading by the fences 



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Fif. 2. The^AnraogemcDt of lk« Benchea in ConacfTatory lUaatrated on Tkia Pa|* 



