BOTANICAL STRUCTURES. 



297 



similar structures in the forcing department, are now 

 almost universally regarded as appendages of the flower 

 garden. In the hands of architects they have assumed 

 a great variety of forms, and too often has practical 

 utility been sacrificed to architectural taste. We shall 

 confine ourselves to the exhibition of the principle of 

 the most important of these, and shall limit our remarks 

 to the Green-house, Conservatory, and the Stove. 



The Green-house is intended to aff'ord a winter and 

 partly a summer shelter to the less tender classes of 

 exotic plants grown in pots. The annexed wood-cut ex- 



Fii?. 17. 



hibits the old-fashioned lean-io green-house. The gene- 

 ral form of the house is that of a vinery, with pretty 

 lofty front glass. The main part of the area is occu- 

 pied by a stage rising in steps to receive the potted 

 plants. At some height above the front flue is placed 

 a narrow horizontal bench of trellis-work, to receive 

 posts containing small plants which require to be near 

 the light. In England, since the repeal of the duty on 

 slate, this material has been in many cases advantageous- 

 ly employed in forming the pavement, the shelving, and 

 26 



