380 



PLANT-HOUSES. 



and is discharged upwards into the stone, fitted to them, and dispersed regularly 

 flint, or rubble drainage b b, placed under through the whole mass ; c c are the hot- 

 the bed, through upright metallic tubes water pipes, placed side by side in an air- 

 Fig. 512. 



.6. 



161 



IS 



flue under the floor pavement, the heat 

 from which ascends into the house through 

 highly ornamental brass gratings, and is 



Fig. 513. 



forced upwards by the admittance of cold 

 air, brought in in small pipes from with- 

 out ; e is the stone plinth for supporting 

 the cast-iron column which sustains the 

 ridge, and the arms / / which curve from 

 it, and are attached to the straining bar, 

 extending the whole length of the house, 

 to which the astragals are individually 

 fastened. The lantern above the ridge 

 shows the mode of top ventilation, every 

 alternate panel on each side being made 

 to open while the others are shut. 



Besides the subterranean ventilation 



introduced into the bed for the plants, 

 another and more copious supply for the 

 atmosphere is brought in through brass 

 ventilators placed at a level with the 

 gravel walk which surrounds three sides 

 of the conservatory, passing through the 

 lowermost step, and communicating with 

 the air-flue in which the hot water pipes 

 are placed. 



It would appear, judging from the 

 monotonous arrangement of the plants 

 in our conservatories, &c, in general, that 

 the whole attention of those concerned 

 in these constructions was concentrated 

 on the building itself, and that, however 

 elegant it may be in form, or even how- 

 ever well suited to the culture of plants 

 when finished, the internal arrangements, 

 as far as regards the disposal of the 

 plants, are left uncared for, beyond fol- 

 lowing up the old and absurd practice of 

 crowding them together so that their 

 surface of foliage may appear as much 

 like that of a newly-clipped hedge as pos- 

 sible. In nature we see no such arrange- 

 ments — every plant there occupies the 

 space and situation most suitable for its 

 existence. Why should not this arrange- 

 ment be carried out in the disposal of them 

 in our glass-houses? The thing is practi- 

 cable, and, if acted upon, our houses would 

 present a much more interesting appear- 

 ance than they do as at present managed. 



