CONSERVATORIES. 



377 



from the rooms behind, should be carried 

 up over the front wall of the offices be- 

 hind, as exemplified in the gardens at 

 Dalkeith, Poltalloch, &c. The vestibule, 

 or lobby entrances at the two ends, as 

 well as that in the centre of the conserva- 

 tory, are well designed, and more effective 

 than had they been curvilinear, as is fre- 

 quently seen in houses with similar roofs. 

 This would make a very neat range of 

 houses, and be equally well adapted either 

 for plant-houses or for the purpose for 

 which they are at present intended, were 

 the back offices removed, and the whole 

 space roofed in by a roof similar to that of 

 the front. The conservatory could then be 

 extended, forming nearly a square, with 

 two semicircular ends. Of course such an 

 alteration of form could only be justified, 

 if fruit was to be grown, by having the 

 ends facing the north and south, instead 

 of, as at present, facing the east and west. 

 For plant-houses this would be immate- 

 rial, as many plants thrive better in a 

 northern exposure than in the opposite. 



In remarking on the defects of domi- 

 cal houses, p. 129, it will be seen that 

 one of our objections was the dispropor- 

 tion between their height and diameter — 

 the former being too much for the latter, 

 and the latter too small to allow of a 

 sufficient extent of the circumference 

 being seen at one time. We speak of the 

 plants as arranged within them. In 

 Plate XXI. we think this defect is greatly 

 modified, because with increased diameter 

 we have a decrease in height. Our pre- 

 sent subject also of itself has much more 

 of architectural effect than the majority 

 of domical houses we have met with. 

 The design is by Richard Turner, Esq. 

 We have, however, taken the liberty to 

 alter it in some few respects. This plate 

 may be taken as an excellent model for a 

 conservatory for a residence of the first 

 order, and should, like all similar struc- 

 tures, stand isolated, as it can have no 

 connection with other buildings. We 

 have placed it on a platform 15 feet 

 broad and 3 feet above the level of the 

 ground around, to give apparent height to 

 the elevation when viewed externally, 

 without adding to the actual height 

 within, and also that the bottom may be 

 secured against excess of damp. The 

 structure is entirely metallic : the inter- 

 nal columns for the support of the centre 



VOL. I. 



dome, the pilasters forming the upright 

 part of the elevation, the ribs of the dome, 

 the entablature above the pilasters form- 

 ing also the gutter behind them, the 

 balustrading at base of the upper dome, 

 &c, being all of cast-iron, the astragals 

 and smaller members of the structure 

 being of malleable iron. 



The pilasters are cast open, to lighten 

 their effect by the introduction of a nar- 

 row frame of glass, without lessening 

 their strength. Ventilation is effected 

 by bringing tubular air-drains, 6 feet 

 asunder, through the platform or terrace 

 on which the house stands : these deliver 

 the fresh air into the area in which the 

 hot-water pipes are placed, and which 

 surrounds the whole house, and is covered 

 with an ornamental grating fitted into 

 the pavement and level with it. Besides 

 this, the shaded part under the upright 

 glass is composed of a series of metallic 

 ventilators around the whole of the struc- 

 ture, which, when open, deliver the air 

 passing through them close to the floor. 

 Thus it will be seen that, from the num- 

 ber and distribution of these in-draughts 

 of air, an amazing volume of that element 

 will be brought within the house. This, 

 however, on account of its buoyancy on 

 becoming heated, would naturally ascend 

 upwards instead of passing onward to the 

 centre of the house. To supply this part 

 also, four 12-inch tubular air-drains are 

 brought from without the terrace para- 

 pet, and meet at the centre in a 3 feet 

 square chamber; from thence the air is 

 admitted as required into the body of 

 the house. As with all domical houses, 

 difficulties present themselves here in 

 ventilating the roof. The ribs of the 

 roof, in the present case, are not united 

 together at the very apex, but are con- 

 nected to a strong bar of iron bent in 

 form of a hoop, and of the internal diame- 

 ter of 4 feet : the inner edge of this is 

 formed into a small gutter 1 inch in 

 width, having two 1-inch openings to 

 deliver any rain water that may fall 

 on the movable ornament above the 

 glass roof without. Across the iron 

 hoop which ties the top of the ribs to- 

 gether is welded an arm, to which an 

 upright one is attached, passing upwards 

 within the movable top, and fashioned 

 like a common sliding-pencil. The top 

 of the sliding part is secured to the mov- 



3 B 



