GREENHOUSE AKCHITECTURB — A HINT. 
siuuated lobes ; they are smooth on the upper sm-facc, and of a bright shining green. The flowers, 
which are small and inconspicuous, grow in globular catldiis, dangling on longish stall^s from the 
buds of the smaller spray ; and in winter, \\hen the trees are leafless, these perpendicular tlu'eads 
give them a very singular appearance. 
It is remarked by the old authors that no tree ^\hatsoever defends us so well from the heat of 
the sun in summer, or admits it more Idndly in winter. Both these properties, Loudon remarks, 
result from the large size of its leaves ; in summer they present horizontal imbricated masses, 
which, while favom-able to the passage of the breeze, yet exclude both the sun and rain ; while, 
as the distance at which the branches and twigs of trees are from each other is proportioned to 
the size of the leaves, the bare spray is hence more than usually open, thus admitting the sun's 
rays. 
The tree is peculiarly adapted for pleasm'e-grounds from its expression of gentleness and repose ; 
its grateful shade in summer, and its sun-admitting character in ^vinter. As an ornamental object, it 
is said by Loudon to present a combination of majesty and gracefulness, an expression produced by 
the massive and yet open character of its head, the bending of its branches, and theii' feathering to the 
ground. Where it is allowed to grow with amjile space around, the lower branches usually extend 
themselves to a considerable distance in a somewhat horizontal direction, then cmwe gracefully toward 
the ground, and turn upwards at the points, the upper branches assuming a similar mode of growth. 
Though vigorous in its growth, the Plane tree is easily injm-ed by cold, and often, dm-ing the cold 
winds of spring, the foliage may be seen to bear a scorched and blackened appearance. But though 
the foliage is tender, the tree is by no means deficient in a certain picturesque outline. Its yomig 
spray grows in a zig-zag manner, wliich, though tilling up every space with verdm'e, yet, on account 
of the irregular distribution and disposition of the branches, exliibits more or less those masses of light 
and shade, which are the elements of piotui-esque effect. 
One particular in connection with the Plane tree must not be omitted. It seems to withstand the 
smoke and confined ail' of towns and cities better than almost any other tree, thi-iviug in situations 
surrounded by buildings, and where it must be constantly exposed to the murky sooty atmosphere 
which destroys outright its hundreds of less eudui-ing subjects. Hence it becomes a very desu'able 
tree for groups or avenues, or other sylvan compositions, in the parks and ploasiu'c-grounds now spring- 
ing up in the suburbs of most populous towns and cities. — M. 
GREENPIOUSE ARCHITECTURE— A HINT. 
UCH yet remains to be realised in the erection of houses for the cidtivation of j)lants, not only as 
regards their number and dimensions, but also theii- arrangement and details. We seldom see 
more than the same kind of flat lean-to, or span roofs, the same kind of formal stages, when the plants 
are grown in pots, and the same kind of formal beds when the latter are planted out in borders of 
prepared soil. 
Some improvement of the exterior has resulted from the partial adoption of what is called the 
ridge and furrow style of roof, which style admits of being so arranged as to produce a very ornamen- 
tal effect. But, even as now generally ap^jlied, this style of building leaves the interior unchanged ; 
and the same mode of disposing of the plants is in most cases followed. This ought not to be. Our 
gardens would lose half then- charms were we to see the same state of things imaged everywhere ; it 
is, in fact, as much in the endless variety of which the arrangements of a garden are susceptible, as in 
their intrinsic beauty that then' fascinations rest. And why should it not also be so with the erections 
for the growth of exotic vegetation ? Why should we not in these have groves and lakes, flower 
parterres and rockeries, and caverns, adorned with then- appropriate vegetation ? There is no material 
difficulty hi the accomplishment of such an object. What a degree of interest, too, woidd attach to 
gardens of tender Roses, or Rhododendrons not capable of beai'ing om' climate ; of Heaths, and a 
thousand other subjects, disposed with a view to aitistic elfect, and merely shielded fi-om the vicissi- 
tudes of oiu' climate by a covering of glass. 
The plants to which allusion has just been made would form very striking, and no less interesting 
groups, if arranged with reference to theu' ultimate eflect ; but a class of plants more specially suited 
for the natiu-al or pictui-esque mode of arrangement recommended for adoption, is the Ferns. For 
picturesque effect, no other group of vegetation is at all comparable with these. Next to them stand 
the Orchids ; and perhaps the most interesting spectacle of all would be obtained by a combination of 
Ferns with Orchids. Of com'se, if either exotic Ferns or Orchids are employed, a congenial tempera- 
ture must be kept up for them. — M. 
