EMBELLISHMENTS. 381 



should by no means be glazed with large panes, because 

 small ones have much greater strength, which is requisite to 

 withstand the heavy weight of snow that often falls during 

 winter, as well as to resist breakage by hail storms in sum- 

 mer. Four or eight inches by six, is the best size for roof- 

 glass, and with this size the lap of the panes need not be 

 greater than one-eighth of an inch, while it would require 

 to be one-fourth of an inch, were the panes of the usual size. 

 On the front and sides, the sashes may be handsome, and filled 

 in with the best glass ; even plate-glass has been used in some 

 cases to our knowledge here. 



In the second place, some thorough provision must be 

 made for warming the conservatory ; and it is by far the 

 best mode to have the apparatus for this purpose entirely in- 

 dependent of the dwelling-house ; that is, (thous^h the fur- 

 nace may be in the basement,) the flues and fire should be 

 intended to heat the conservatory alone ; for although a con- 

 servatory may, if small, be heated by the same fire which 

 heats the kitchen or one of the living rooms, it is a much 

 less efficient mode of attaining this object, and renders the 

 conservatory more or less liable at all times to be too hot or 

 too cold. 



The common square flue, the sides built of bricks, and the 

 top and bottom of tiles manufactured for that purpose, is one 

 of the oldest, most simple, and least expensive methods of 

 heating, in use. Latterly, its place has been supplied by hot 

 water circulated in large tubes of three or four inches in di- 

 ameter from an open boiler, and by Perkins' mode,* as it is 

 called, which employs small pipes of an inch in diameter, 



* An agency for this complete method of heating buildings of al! de- 

 scriptions to a mild and equal temperature, has recently been established at 

 New- York, at the office of the Howell Works, 238 Water-street. 



