AUGUST. 



127 



architects, to know that one of their class lias taken the lead on a question hitherto either 

 misunderstood or undervalued hy them. 



The author alludes to the great pioneer, Sir Joseph Paxton, as the first to show the 

 adaptability of glass to the works of architecture, either large or small ; though, hy the 

 way, his patent fruit-houses are behind the mark in constructive skill, and in economising 

 space, and to the author of " Orchard-houses," who may truly be termed the father of popular 

 glass erections. Nor can we hold with the author, when he calls Mr. Rivers' introduction of 

 orchard-houses, or hedge-houses if you will, a small step ; for certainly nothing bas tended 

 to promote the cultivation of fruits so much as these houses have done, or brought the means 

 of cultivation to the door of so numerous a class ; and gardeners, amateurs, and invalids, 

 might well consider the propriety of presenting Mr. Rivers with some public acknowledgment 

 for his services, in promoting a most delightful and useful branch of gardening. We were 

 the first to advocate the usefulness of orcbard-houses in these pages, when some great 

 lights in horticultural literature had nothing to say in their favour, or "damned with faint 

 praise " their introduction, and have only found out that they are really useful adjuncts to 

 gardening when everybody else had adopted them. 



The manner in which Mr. Cranston constructs his buildings is simply a system of short 

 planes or slopes, as opposed to the long slope generally adopted, and by these means a form 

 more nearly approaching the curvilinear in shape is produced. These planes may be 42 inches, 

 or less, in depth, the former being the largest size in which sheet-glass is cut. Each of these glass 

 slopes rests at the top and foot on what Mr. Cranston calls "radial ribs," a series of horizontal 

 bars or rafters, running the length of the building, and placed as far apart as the slopes are 

 m depth, these ribs again resting on a framework, or principal, of timber, forming the 

 section of a polygon, each angle being represented by the glass slope it has to carry. A 

 good idea of these erections may be formed by imagining long 3-feet sashes glazed with 

 single squares, and placed horizontally one above another, at angles varying with the Avidth 

 and height of the house . But the office of these radial ribs is not confined solely to forming 

 supports to the tops and bottoms of these slopes. Formed of deal timber, placed edgeways 

 (so we take it by the appearance of the engravings), they are perforated throughout their 

 entire length, and form the mode whereby ventilation is given to the houses. This glass is 

 fitted at the top into a groove formed below the ventilating openings, and also in the bars, 

 whereby the use of puttying them in is dispensed with ; and the glass is prevented from 

 falling out by a button between each two squares, which keeps them in their places ; and you 

 have only to turn this button to remove the whole of the glass, without interfering with the 

 framework of the building. 



It will be obvious, from this short outline of Mr. Cranston's plan, that, as the depths or 

 widths of the slopes admit of being made of any depth less than 42 inches, a great variety 

 of outline can be obtained ; in fact, one closely approaching (as we have previously observed), 

 the curvilinear, and this, too, with straight glazing, and ventilation between each 42 inches 

 (or less), of roof. We need scarcely eay that, by this step towards cheap glazing and uniform, 

 ventilation is obtained. .In a letter before us Mr. Cranston states, that he has considerably 

 increased the areas for ventilation ; and we can assure him, that if he can give ample 

 ventilation through these radial bars without materially increasing their depth (for tbat 

 would be a defect architecturally), we see no reason why' his principle of construction might 

 not be earned out to any extent, supposing always another contingency is provided for— viz., 

 safety from storms, which, appears to us rather questionable, looking at the projecting 

 slopes ; for as the author observes at page 29, when speaking of the advantages his plan 

 possesses, " the unevenness of the roofs externally tends to conduct the air towards the 

 ventilators ; " and Mr. Cranston may find, in stormy weather, that the projecting eaves of 

 his glass slopes may interfere disagreeably, in intercepting what, under the old system, would 

 • roll over the house." We think, however, Mr. Cranston has too practical a mind not to 

 have foreseen this. We omitted mentioning that, by a very simple contrivance, the 

 ventilating ribs are closed or opened at pleasure from the inside. 



That Mr. Cranston has reduced the art of building large glass erections to the simplest 

 form ot construction hitherto invented, we are pleased to admit ; and should the objections 

 we nave, m all friendship, brought prominently forward in this notice be overcome, he will 

 have done much towards simplifying in-door gardening, by providing houses at once simple, 

 and thoroughly efficient for all the purposes of cultivation. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 



Conservatory. 

 A few handsome specimen plants tastefully ar- 

 ranged will make this house sufficiently gay for 

 the present season. Climbers, and the permanent 

 plants in the borders, should now have every atten- 



tion to secure well-ripened wood and well-formed 

 buds. Keep climbing plants well thinned. Water 

 well when required. Plants for autumn and winter 

 decoration must now be well attended to. Shift and 

 tie-up such as require it. See they are in a suitable 



