EMBELLISHMENTS. 389 



are to be well-grown, must be glazed. Opake roofs 

 prevent the admission of perpendicular light, without 

 which the stems of vegetation are drawn up weak and . 

 feeble, and are attracted in an unsightly manner towards 

 the glass in front. When the conservatory joins the house 

 by one of its ends, and extends out from the building to a 

 considerable length, the effect will be much more elegant ; 

 and the plants will thrive more perfectly, when it is glazed 

 on all of the three sides, so as to admit light in every 

 direction. 



The best aspect for a conservatory is directly south; 

 southeast and southwest are scarcely inferior. Even east 

 and west exposures will do very well, where there isplenty 

 of glass to admit light ; for though our winters are cold, 

 yet there is a great abundance of sun, and bright clear 

 atmosphere, both far more beneficial to plants than the 

 moist, foggy vapor of an English winter, which, though 

 mild, is comparatively sunless. When the conservatory 

 adjoins and looks into the flower-garden, the eflect will be 

 appropriate and pleasing. 



Some few hints respecting the construction of a con 

 bervatory may not be unacceptable to some of our readers 

 In the first place, the roof should have a sufiicient slope tc 

 carry off the rain rapidly, to prevent leakage ; from 40 to 

 45 degrees is found to be the best inclination in our 

 climate. The roof 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 summer. 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- 



