60 



GENERAL FORMATION, &c, OF GARDENS. 



and support the gutters above them, to 

 which the astragals of the roof are fixed. 

 It will here be seen that the whole of 

 this range of houses is supported on these 

 tubular iron columns, the iron gutters, 

 and iron arched supports in the centres 

 of the houses ; while no part of the 

 metallic material is exposed to the ex- 

 ternal atmosphere, excepting a portion 

 of the valleys or gutters. 



Fig. 



For further details vide arts. Green- 

 houses, Plant -stoves, Peach -houses, 

 Vineries, Cucumber and Melon Houses, 

 Pineries, &c. 



Fig. 36 shows a section through the 

 centre hothouse i, the terrace walk k, 

 and parapet wall in front I ; g represents 

 the back wall of the house, with the space 

 indicated by the dotted lines, in which 

 is enclosed the mechanical apparatus for 



36. 





k 





i 











1^%" '''''' ' 



% ° * 8 '? '? zo 



opening and shutting the top ventila- 

 tion ; h the front wall of back offices ; 

 / chimney-tops, the smoke being brought 

 from the furnaces through 20-inch party 

 walls; e area windows to light the cellars; 

 d blind area, 18 inches wide, and covered 

 over at top to keep the walls of the 

 cellars dry ; b section through mushroom 

 cellar ; a section through rooms behind ; 

 c a 9-inch tubular drain, extending the 

 whole length of cellars, into which all the 

 superfluous water from the roofs and 

 cisterns is conducted. This drain passes 

 under the centre house, and under the 

 middle walk of the garden, and is dis- 

 charged into a reservoir in the outer 

 slip, the overflow from which is led off 

 into the park. 



The most perfect specimen of a garden 

 in the mixed style, we can offer to our 

 readers, is unquestionably that of her 

 Majesty's at Frogmore, of which Plate 

 IX. is a perspective view of the range of 

 hothouses, while Plate X. is a plan of 

 the ground. It is unequalled by any 

 other in the world, either in extent or in 

 judicious arrangement. This is at last 

 as it ought to be. Previous to the 

 creation of this splendid garden, and 

 the extensive improvements at Kew, the 

 gardens of the sovereigns of this mighty 

 empire were below mediocrity, when 

 compared not only with those of the 

 other sovereigns of Europe, but with 



those of many of the aristocracy of 

 Britain. Some years ago, an inquiry 

 was instituted into the condition, manage- 

 ment, and actual utility of maintaining, 

 at a very considerable expense, about a 

 dozen pieces of ground, many miles apart, 

 enclosed within walls, most of which 

 had abundance of glass structures, such 

 as they were, extending, if brought toge- 

 ther, over some acres of ground, and in 

 all containing somewhere about fifty 

 imperial acres, devoted to the culture 

 of fruits and vegetables. From such 

 sources the royal table was badly sup- 

 plied, both as to quantity and quality ; 

 indeed, so much so, that a nobleman once 

 connected with the court put the ques- 

 tion to us, whether the supplies could 

 not be better provided from Covent 

 Garden market, than by continuing on 

 the old system. On this there could be 

 but one opinion, except for the effects such 

 a course would have on horticulture as a 

 progressing, useful, and pleasing science. 



An official committee was appointed, 

 in January 1838, to inquire into and 

 report upon the state of all the royal 

 gardens. This committee was composed 

 of three gentlemen highly qualified for 

 the task. After mature deliberation, 

 they recommended the disposal of the 

 kitchen gardens at Kensington by sale, 

 and the building, with the proceeds, a 

 new garden at or near Windsor, as being 



