EMBELLISHMENTS. 
421 
Some few hints respecting the construction of a conserva- 
tory may not be unacceptable to some of our readers. In the 
first place, the roof should have a sufficient slope to carry off 
the rain rapidly, to prevent leakage ; from 40 to 45 degrees is 
found to be the best inclination in our climate. The roof 
should by no means be glazed with large panes, because 
small ones have much greater strength, which is requisite to 
withstand the heavy weight of snow that often falls during 
winter, as well as to resist breakage by hail storms in sum- 
mer. Four or eight inches by six, is the best size for roof- 
glass, and with this size the lap of the panes need not be 
greater than one-eighth of an inch, while it would require 
to be one-fourth of an inch, were the panes of the usual size. 
On the front and sides, the sashes may be handsome, and 
filled in with the best glass ; even plate-glass has been used 
in many cases to our knowledge here. 
In the second place, some thorough provision must be 
made for warming the conservatory ; and it is by far the 
best mode to have the apparatus for this purpose entirely in- 
dependent of the dwelling-house ; that is, (though the fur- 
nace may be in the basement,) the flues and fire should be 
intended to heat the conservatory alone ; for although a con- 
servatory may, if small, be heated by the same fire which 
heats the kitchen or one of the living rooms, it is a much 
less efficient mode of attaining this object, and renders the 
conservatory more or less liable at all times to be too hot or 
too cold. 
The common square flue, the sides built of bricks, and the 
top and bottom of tiles manufactured for that purpose, is one 
of the oldest, most simple, and least expensive methods of 
heating in use. Latterly, its place has been supplied by hot 
water circulated in large tubes of three or four inches in 
