COXSERl'ATORIES. PLAXT-SHEDS, ETC. 121 



CONSERVATORIES, PLANT-SHEDS AND 

 GREEN-HOUSES 



The object of a plant-house in the tropics is not, except in 

 the hills, to protect plants from the cold, but from the tierce sun's 

 rays and strong winds, while also maintaining a uniform, cool and 

 moist atmosphere. Though combining the purposes of shelter and 

 shade, however, plant-houses must be constructed so as to also 

 allow of a free circulation of air and admit sufficient light for the 

 growth and health of the plants. Such structures when suitably 

 built and tastefully tilled with well-grown and choice plants, form 

 a most delightful and cool retreat during the heat of the day, and 

 afford the essential conditions for the successful cultivation of a 

 vast number of showy tropical shade-loving plants. 



A modest structure of bamboos, covered with palm leaves, may 

 for a time answer the purpose of a plant-house, and last for about 

 a couple of years. But a more substantial and lasting building 

 affords greater satisfaction, and may have its framework composed 

 of teak or other hard wood, or better still of iron. The iron 

 Octagon Conservatory in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, 

 Ceylon, might be taken as a model of an economically built and 

 eminently satisfactory type of a tropical plant-house. The up- 

 right supports consist of old rails, 12 ft. long, 3 ft. of each rail being 

 buried in concrete. The top is flat for a distance of 12 ft. from 

 the circumference, and rests on horizontal rails with iron bars 

 placed transversely at distances of a few feet. In the centre rises 

 an octagon "dome," the upright rails forming the pillars of which, 

 being 21 ft. long, with 4 ft. buried in concrete. The circum- 

 ference of the house is outlined by a half-brick wall 3 ft. high, the 

 outer edge of which is flush with the iron posts. The whole 

 structure is covered over with a 3 in. mesh wire-netting. Over 

 the flat tops are placed split-bamboo, strung together like tats and 

 tarred. The handsome evergreen climber Passiflora lanrifolia is 

 planted around the house and trained on the wire-netting of the 

 upright portions, forming a useful and effective screen. The 

 interior is occupied with graduated plant-stages on one side, and 

 a broad sloping border on the other ; here numerous shade- 

 loving species thrive to perfection ; all the paths and stages are 

 concreted. 



In building a conservatory, it is important th:it the site should 

 be somewhat higher than the surrounding level, so as to admit of 

 proper drainage being secured. Shade or screen for plant-houses 



