COXSTRUCTION. 



283 



of accident, or extremely hard frosts. The first furnace is placed in the 

 shed behind, at a, in ground plan, and over it should be placed a capa- 

 cious cistern, to be suppHed with water, and regulated by a ball-cock. 

 This water will always be in a state sufficiently warm to be apphed to the 

 plants, and for greater convenience it should be admitted into the house 

 by means of a short pipe through the back wall. This first course of 

 flues to enter the house at ^, proceed round the front and both ends to c, 

 where it will return along the back flue d in the section, to the point where 

 it first entered, and escape by the!; chimney. The second fire-flue to enter 

 at e, and make two turns in the back flues at c /, and escape by the 

 chimney over the point where it first entered the house. Such a house 

 as this is capable of growing tropical plants of moderate size to the fullest 

 degree of excellence. 



To those ambitious of more splendid houses, we can with safety, we 

 presume, recommend the sketch at page 233, which shows the inte- 

 rior of a splendid conservatory, one hundred feet in length, and fifty 

 feet in width, and twenty-five feet in greatest height. Such a structure, 

 dedicated to the cultivation of tropical plants, would have a very impos- 

 ing efi^ect, and be at the same time extremely well calculated for their 

 growth. The roof is composed of two spans, each springing from the 

 top of the ornamental iron columns, of which there are four rows, and 

 being hollow to conduct the water of the roof to a large reservoir under- 

 neath the floor, from whence it is pumped up as required for the use of 

 the house, and supply of the steam or hot-water boilers employed in heat- 

 ing the atmosphere of the structure. Those parts of the roof which are 

 over the foot-paths are opaque, and upon them is placed a cast-iron 

 trellised grating for the purpose of walking upon when necessary to repair 

 the roof or ventilator, or even as an elevated promenade, from whence not 

 only the plants within may be viewed, but the garden and grounds 

 around. The species of elevated promenade is very fashionable on the 

 continent, and one of the best specimens of the kind we have seen is 

 that of the immense range of exotic plant -houses erected by the Due 

 d^Aremberg; at Enghien, in the Netherlands, and which is four hundred 

 and sixty feet long. 



The proportions of the house, of which our figure will give some idea, 

 are, we think, perfect ; its length, however, might be extended without 

 aftecting the perfection of the principle, which we take to be in the 

 breadth, and more especially in the height. Houses, such as the centre 

 part of the range at Sion House, (see page 4,) however imposing they 

 may look when newed from without, are any thing but calculated for 



