58 



GENERAL FORMATION, &c, OF GARDENS. 



which the under side of the moving 

 panels run, holes are cut in a slanting 

 direction in the battens at c c, by which 

 Fig. 33. 



it can readily escape. These battens 

 form the proper ridge of the roof, and 

 are themselves supported by ornamental 

 cast-iron columns and arches ; and from 

 them arms project, which, being attached 

 to the straining bars of iron placed under 

 the astragals, tie the whole roof together 

 in a most effective manner, d d are the 

 rafters that tie the top of the ridge, and 

 are placed above the pilasters b b. 



Plate VI., fig. 6, shows the elevation 

 of the back offices, with the chimney- 

 pots, which are of an ornamental cha- 

 racter, on the top of the front wall, 

 instead of, as is usual, on the top of the 

 back wall of the hothouses. The smoke 

 flues are carried from the furnaces through 

 the party walls of the offices, rendering 

 them dry and slightly warm ; while the 

 smoke and unconsumed carbonaceous 

 matter are prevented from falling on the 

 glass roofs. 



The openings near the ground are the 

 area windows, which give light to the 

 cellars. The windows and doorways are 

 margined with light-coloured composi- 

 tion bricks, tuck-pointed, and are con- 



structed as shown in fig. 34 — the rest of the 

 wall being of red brick, the joints neatly 

 cut out and drawn in with black coal. 

 Fig. 34. 



A glance at the elevation of the hot- 

 houses will show that the third house 

 from each end of the span-roofed ones 

 rises considerably above the one next it. 

 Without some precaution, snow falling 

 from the side of the roof of the one 

 would break the glass in the others. To 

 guard against this, an ornamental cast- 

 iron parapet 6 inches in height, cast 

 open, is planted on the cast-iron half 

 gutter, which extends from front to 

 back : this has spaces between it and 

 the gutter 1 inch in height, so that the 

 melted snow may pass under it and fall 

 into the full-sized gutter at the bottom 

 of the roof of the adjoining house, while 

 the bulk of snow will be prevented from 

 falling along with it, as it is retained 

 by the parapet until it is melted. 



All the gutters between the various 

 roofs are of cast-iron, (vide Plate VIII.,) 

 and are so constructed that the rain 

 water collected in them escapes through 

 a 3-inch iron pipe at the ends nearest 

 the back wall, and is conveyed to the* 

 cisterns, which are all within the houses, 

 and sunk under the surface. From these 

 the water for pot-watering is easily lifted 

 out, while the operation of syringing is 

 effected by a small portable engine, the 

 suction-pipe of which is flexible, and is 

 thrown into the cistern, while the force 



