VINERIES. 



307 



hot-water pipes, is of cast and wrought 

 iron. A prepared border runs along the 

 front, in which vines are planted, their 

 roots being allowed to pass into the ex- 

 ternal border, as the front of the house is 

 supported upon cast-iron pillars set on 

 large blocks of stone, to which the para- 

 pet is fastened by screw bolts. These 

 pillars above ground are highly orna- 

 mented, as will be seen by a glance at 

 Plate XVI 1 1. ; nor are they ornamental 

 alone — they are useful also, being made 

 conductors of the rain-water collected 

 in the shoots or hollowed part of the 

 parapet at the bottom of the astragals, 

 which also forms a neat moulding the 

 whole length of the house, and conveying 

 it to a drain which communicates with 

 a large reservoir for the supply of the 

 house. The parapet is composed of plates 

 of iron, and in them the front ventilators 

 are placed, which are made to open and 

 shut simultaneously, by being attached 

 to a common axle extending the whole 

 length of the house. The hot-water pipes 

 are placed in a chamber, and covered with 

 an elegant cast-iron grating floor, which 

 admits of a free ascent of heat, while it 

 forms a comfortable and clean floor to 

 walk on. A border is also formed along 

 the back wall, also planted with vines ; and 

 a low stage for a few plants occupies the 

 centre. Very small zinc gutters are 

 placed along the roof longitudinally, with 

 a view to collect the condensed steam, or 

 any drip from leakage in the roof. These 

 communicate with others placed under 

 the astragals at equal distances, and de- 

 liver the water into the hollow of the 

 parapet outside. This, and all other 

 similar contrivances for a like purpose, 

 we consider to be quite useless, while 

 they take considerably from the light 

 and elegant appearance of the roof when 

 viewed from within. The top ventilation 

 is effected by metallic ventilators let into 

 the back wall, which, passing upwards, 

 terminate in ornamental openings along 

 the top of the wall — a feature quite new in 

 this department of hothouse building. 

 The wall itself is finished with a massive 

 stone coping. These ventilators are opened 

 and shut by a chain and pulley, as shown 

 in the perspective view. This house being 

 wide, the roof is supported by cast-iron 

 columns rather crowded with ornament, 

 as well as by a bar of iron extending from 



end to end, to which these columns are 

 attached. This bar ties the house to- 

 gether, and tends to keep the astragals 

 from shifting their places. The back 

 wall is trellised with wire, as is also the 

 roof. 



The whole front of the house is sup- 

 ported upon cast-iron pillars securely set 

 in blocks of stone, and lintelled over with 

 bars of the same material. The heating 

 is by flat upper pipes, with flanges along 

 the sides of the upper surface for securing 

 evaporation. The return-pipes under them 

 are 4-inch circular ones. The large cavity 

 they are placed in greatly lessens the loss 

 of heat by abstraction at the sides, and 

 the grating above allows it to ascend freely 

 into the house. 



The ventilation, it will be seen from 

 the internal view, is copious, the whole of 

 the front opening excepting the pilasters 

 which support it, and a small margin 

 round the ventilators. The back venti- 

 lators are sufficient, and, as will be seen, 

 exceedingly ornamental. The interior 

 view also shows the only defect of this 

 house — namely, the zinc gutters running 

 longitudinally and vertically, as shown 

 by the stronger lines in the roof. 



Dalkeith vineries. — The annexed cross 

 section (fig. 414) through the boiler will 

 show the principle of these houses, which 

 differs in many respects from those al- 

 ready described. To avoid a lengthened 

 letterpress description, we shall first di- 

 rect attention to the following references 

 to the plan:— a is the boiler; b the fur- 

 nace ; c c are hot- water pipes which ex- 

 tend along one end and front in an open 

 chamber d; e is the border in which the 

 vines are planted, their roots extending 

 through the openings in the front wall, 

 which is built of piers lintelled over with 

 pavement level with the border, and on 

 which is placed a stone plinth or base 

 9 inches thick, supporting the front 

 sashes, set between stone mullions or 

 pilasters, /; g is a pit for pines, or in 

 general used for keeping tall plants when 

 the forcing operations admit of it ; h is a 

 footpath of Arbroath pavement; i are top 

 ventilators suspended by weights, and 

 moving up and down in the manner of a 

 window sash ; h cistern of water over the 

 stoke-hole, by which it is kept moderately 

 warm, and fit at all times for use, fed by a 

 pipe from the collecting shoot o, and 



