48 



PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS . 



labored to overcome this difficulty, and seldom with, 

 much success. Indeed, their efforts have generally 

 resulted in their making the conservatory a vegetable 

 dungeon, or perhaps at best something like a Parisian 

 orangery, rather than a lively and genial abode for 

 plants, which require, for their healthy and luxuriant 

 development, more light than our cloudy atmosphere 

 and our distance from the equator readily afford. When 

 made an architectural erection, it should be constructed 

 to admit as much light as possible. If this cannot be 

 effected while it is kept in harmony with the mansion- 

 house, it is better to withdraw it into some secondary 

 position, and to mould it more in conformity with its 

 main jDurpose, than for architectural display. In such 

 cases, it perhaps ought to be at once removed into the 

 general flower-garden; but before doing so, a place 

 should be sought for it in the dressed grounds in the 

 vicinity of the mansion-house, where it may be deco- 

 rated with terraces and other ornaments, while it is 

 treated directly as a glass-house for plants, with inter- 

 nal arrangements as above indicated. Wood and iron 

 are generally employed for the framework of such 

 houses, as they combine strength and lightness in a 

 higher degree than any other materials. Stone pilas- 

 ters, of slender proportions, maybe introduced, to give 

 a somewhat architectural air to the structure. The 

 glass which is used for the sashes should be good, and 

 free from impurities and irregularities, in large squares, 

 or in panes, long at least, if not broad ; for nothing 

 connected with plant-houses produces so mean and 

 slovenly an effect as short panes of glass with a multi- 

 tude of overlaps. 



Note. — The facility with which conservatories are 



