GREENHOUSES. 389 



house ; b b b b are the columns support- may either be plain or coloured, violet 

 ing the entablature ; c is the circular colour being preferred. The doors are 

 column for the smoke ; d d is a central double, opening outwards, and hung on 

 platform of slate ; e e, &c, passage ; and pivots at top and bottom. The coping 

 //,&c, slate shelf running round the house, over the pilasters may be either Doric, 

 Fig. 529 is an elevation in projection Ionic, or Corinthian, according to taste ; 

 of a curvilinear greenhouse of the same but if such a house be erected near the 



mansion, of course this 

 should be governed 

 by the style of archi- 

 tecture in which the 

 house is constructed. 

 Instead of the uni- 

 formity presented by 

 having the stage as 

 in the last example, 

 showing the plants in 

 an unbroken outline, 

 it would be better 

 dimensions as fig. 526, but fitted up to substitute a stage, as in fig. 530, 

 within in rather a different manner, which would present the sections of 

 There are also the following points of three pyramids, and offer ample oppor- 

 difference — namely, the roof in the present 



case, although in one piece, is divided 530 - 



into apparent sashes, by the introduction r Mill I I I [T] 



of light rafters placed over the pilasters. ■ . 



These rafters are, however, cast with a i 



rebate on each side to receive the glass, I I I | I 



as if they were astragals. They are in- ' 1 ' 1 



tended to stiffen the roof, and give greater | | | | 



strength, as well as to take off that strain ' » I 1 



which must of necessity be upon the ends 

 of a house having straining-rods extend- 



ing from gable to gable, for the regulation tunity, not only for watering and exa- 

 of the astragals, as in fig. 526. In the mining them, but also for showing off 

 present case, the astragals of each span their forms and flowers to much greater 

 are secured by rods fastened from rafter advantage. 



to rafter. The wall-plate or architrave The annexed ground-plan, fig. 531, 

 over the front, as in fig. 526, is of cast- and sections, figs. 532, 533, exhibit one 

 iron, serving also as the gutter for receiv- of the greenhouses built within these last 

 ing the water from the roof, which, in few years in the Royal Botanic Gardens 

 this case, will require to be carried to at Kew. We had an opportunity of 

 the two opposite ends, taken through the inspecting this house while building, and 

 back wall, and conveyed to tanks formed frequently also since it has been corn- 

 there for its reception. For this purpose, pleted ; and we consider it altogether 

 a slight inclination must be made in the one of the most useful houses we have 

 gutter from the centre, both ways ; but seen. The great merit of this house is, 

 this inclination must be made in the that it is capacious and convenient, hold- 

 bottom of the gutter, so that the front ing an immense number of plants, of 

 may be of equal depth throughout its which all equally enjoy the benefits of 

 whole length. The reason why, in this light and air, and without the prevailing- 

 case, the water is taken to the ends, is, error in most large houses, of its being too 

 that the pilasters in front are not of sufii- lofty. The arrangements are very com- 

 cient size to admit of its being carried plete, and the heating satisfactory. There 

 down them, as they are cast open, having are two faults, however, we have to find 

 their openings fitted with plate glass, in with this house ; and as we deem them 

 one piece, from top to bottom, which to be important — and, strange to say, of 



