542 THE GREEN-HOUSE 



or slated roofs, and by substituting roofs consisting 

 of wooden framing and glass, for the admission of 

 sunshine and perpendicular light. But still they 

 are so far defective, as that, by their great height, 

 the plants are much more drawn than they ought 

 to be, or would be, in a lower, and better con- 

 structed house. 



Houses that are open on the front only, although 

 they have sloping lights on the roof, are next to be 

 objected to ; as the plants in such are necessarily 

 more drawn and distorted than as if the ends were 

 also glazed. If such be not placed among other 

 buildings, so as that they cannot be altered, they 

 might be very much improved by pulling down the 

 close ends, and by substituting glazed lights; which, 

 if they be of a moderate height, would render them 

 next best to such houses as are described below. 



But a complete green-house^ being quite detached 

 from other buildings, should be glazed on all sides. 

 It may be circular, oval, hexagonal, octagonal ; or 

 with two straight sides, and circular ends, which I 

 think the best form of any : the next best, an oc- 

 tagon whose sides are not equal, but with two op- 

 posite longer sides, and six shorter sides ; three and 

 three opposite, forming, as one might say, an angu- 

 lar oval ; the ends being angular, instead of round. 

 In either of these last-mentioned forms, the stages 

 and plants may, at least in my mind, be [more taste- 

 fully arranged, than in any other. Granting either 

 of these cases, 



The house should be about thirty-six or forty 

 feet long, eighteen or twenty feet wide, and ten, or 



