83 
hundred feet distant; this arrangement does away with a chim- 
ney near the glass houses, always an unsightly feature if built 
ree to such edifices, and avoids the carting of coal to them and 
the removal of ashes. On reaching the conservatories the dis- 
tributing steam pipes are carried under the floors in similar sub- 
ways, readily accessible through numerous man-holes. Venti- 
lation is accomplished by cade and easily manipulated mechan- 
ical devices. 
t will be seen from a glance at the accompanying oe that 
only about two-thirds of the range has thus far been built; the 
five houses remaining to be built may be constructed as funds 
become available. When wholly completed the thirteen houses 
will supply about forty-five thousand square feet of floor space, 
or about an acre; this is not more than about one-third of the 
area under glass at the Royal Gardens at Kew, England, and it 
may be expected that another great glass house or more than 
one, will be needed in our Garden in the future. 
In the court made by the present design it is planned t 
vide two large tanks for tender aquatics and other omamenta 
court, while foot paths will lead to all the doors; the houses will 
stand on a terrace, after the necessary grading around them has 
been done; the east elevation of the range is a little over five 
hundred feet in length 
A considerable number of plants have already been secured 
for the conservatories by gift, exchange and propagation. Many 
of these are located in the old greenhouses at Columbia Univer- 
sity, including an excellent collection of orchids presented to the 
Garden by Mrs. George Such, of South Amboy, and a valuable 
series of cacti given by Mr. F. S. Curtis, and some large ferns 
and palms donated by Mr. John Crosby Brown and Mr. 
Harriot ; the necessarily limited space in this house, of which 
the Garden has had the use for four years through the courtesy 
of the University Trustees, has made it necessary for us to re- 
gretfully decline many proffered gifts of plants, but we are now, 
happily, ready and indeed very anxious for any help that we can 
get in bringing together the specimens needed for the primary 
