52 



GENERAL FORMATION, &a, OF GARDENS. 



those on the east and west sides being 1 6 

 yards in breadth, while that in front is 

 23 yards, and the enclosed ground on the 

 north 33 yards, rounded off at both ends, 

 as is also that on the south side. The in- 

 terior is divided into four quarters by the 

 two principal walks intersecting each 

 other at the centre. These walks are 

 each 9 feet in breadth — those surround- 

 ing the quarters being 7 feet. The fruit- 

 tree borders are 12 feet wide and 2\ feet 

 deep, while the quarters are 3 feet in 

 depth — the whole soil being artificially 

 made, and resting on a dry bottom of 

 alluvial gravel. The ground without the 

 walls is formed of a like depth. The 

 finished level of the ground falls to the 

 south 1 foot in 10 ; and the exposure is 

 three points to the east of south, on dry 

 elevated ground, sheltered from the north 

 by a high hill, well planted, and on the 

 other sides by young plantations ; yet in 

 no way shaded, but fully exposed to the 

 sun, from morning till late in the after- 

 noon, and commanding an extensive 

 and beautiful view over a large tract of 

 mountain scenery. The hothouses, of 

 which there are eleven ridge-and-furrow 

 ones, are seen on Plate VI., fig. 2. To 

 these a lean-to house at each end is to be 

 added. They stand on a terrace, 15, four 

 feet above the ground-level, and furnished 

 in front with a parapet wall of corres- 

 ponding height, with flights of steps at 

 the centre and two ends, 18 18 18, 

 finished with hand-rails and vases. These 

 parapets are in five divisions or breaks, 

 each parallel to the hothouses opposite to 

 them, which are of unequal lengths, the 

 longest being in the centre. The terrace 

 walk, 14, is 9 feet in breadth throughout, 

 with borders between it and the ends of 

 the houses for tender plants. 



The following reference to the Plate 

 will explain the details : — Fig. 1, 1, lean-to 

 house for the finer sorts of pears ; 2, cu- 

 cumber house ; 3 melon house — the two 

 latter heated by hot water under the beds 

 of soil, as well as by pipes for atmospheric 

 heat, the plants being trained under the 

 roof ; 4, greenhouse ; 5, 6, and 8, vin- 

 eries ; 7, tropical-plant house ; 9, peach- 

 house ; 10, fruiting pine-house; 11 and 

 12, succession pine-houses, — all provided 

 with bottom and atmospheric heat by 

 hot-water pipes ; 1 3, apricot-house in the 

 lean-to form; 16 16 show the openings 



of the subterranean ventilation, which is 

 provided by 9 -inch fire-clay spigot and 

 faucet pipes, the ends of which, projecting 

 through the parapet wall, are finished 

 with an ornamental moulding, and the 

 orifice covered with wire grating, to pre- 

 vent the entrance of vermin. These tubu- 

 lar ventilators pass under the terrace 

 walk, and are carried forward under the 

 footpaths, towards the boilers, or their 

 neighbourhood ; so that the air, becoming 

 warmed, and consequently lighter, at these 

 parts, rises readily into the house, and 

 causes a draught from without along 

 their whole length. Thus a supply of 

 fresh air is constantly flowing inwards, 

 and is increased in proportion to the heat 

 maintained within; while, in passing 

 along, it is allowed to escape into the house 

 through apertures in the pipes at regular 

 distances, and which rise from under the 

 footpaths through ornamental iron grat- 

 ings placed in the stone pavement and 

 trellised footpaths. Both of these latter 

 are used, the first in the plant, melon, 

 cucumber, and pine houses; and the 

 second in those dedicated to peaches and 

 vines. Each alternate line of air-tubes, 

 after passing under the terrace walk and 

 front parapet of the houses, rises into the 

 hollow wall which separates each house 

 from that adjoining it, and discharges fresh 

 air, as will be seen hereafter by fig. 35. 



17 is a sheltered border between the 

 terrace wall and the narrow gravel walk 

 in front, and may in such a climate be 

 available for half hardy plants; 19 are 

 the stoke-holes for the hot walls : these 

 are sunk under ground, with iron grat- 

 ings set in stone kerbs, by which admit- 

 tance is got to the vault in which the 

 furnaces are placed. These vaults are 6 

 feet by 12, having on one side of the 

 furnace a space for coal, and on the other, 

 one for the ashes, which are to be sup- 

 plied and cleaned out once a- week ; 20 

 are stoke-holes similarly constructed, for 

 the use of the two end houses ; 21, water- 

 closets ; 22 22, open sheds ; 23, tool- 

 house ; 24, fruit-room ; 25 store-room ; 

 26, potting room, opening in from the 

 plant-stove ; 27, sitting-room for men ; 

 28, bed-room for ditto ; 30, potting 

 room opening in from fruiting pine- 

 stove; 31, large reservoir, 30 feet long, 6 

 feet broad, and 3 feet deep, to supply 

 which, pipes are laid from the mansion, 



