PARK AND CEMETERY. 
2I 5 
the tropical plants it was thought best to pause ere 
another of similar size would be recommended. 
It was necessary to appeal more than once. In the 
crisis, Sir William committed himself to Parlia- 
ment thus : “ I have felt it to be my imperative 
duty, as conservator of this property, to say, that 
unless we can commence the needful structure dur- 
ing the forthcoming year, 1859, I cannot answer 
for the preservation of the remains of this noble 
collection. We dare not give them larger tubs and 
more soil, for we should but encourage their 
growth. Indeed, the largest and finest specimens 
ought to be planted in the ground.” Having made 
a successful plea, plans were forthwith submitted, 
i.c . , in 1859 the large specimens planted out in the 
house proves that the argument was wisely and 
well put. 
.From the annual report of 1867 — we choose to 
quote from these reports since their scarcity pre- 
vents many of our foremost horticultural and 
botanical libraries from obtaining them — we glean 
the object in view in planting it : 
“ By devoting one of the contemplated wings 
to the plants of our northern colonies and pos- 
sessions, and others to those of the southern, 
and rearranging the plants in them by countries, a 
successive view of the vegetation of those regions 
would be produced that would be equally instruct- 
ive to the public and gratifying to the colonist on 
his visiting England.” 
It was at one time proposed to have the Metro- 
politan Railway Station opposite this part of the 
grounds and in accordance with the idea a very 
wide gravel walk was constructed leading from the 
house to the garden bounds, and connecting with 
“ The Avenue ” — a public highway extending from 
the railroad to the garden. On the event of the 
railway people abandoning the idea, this walk was 
turfed over and is now a magnificent foreground to 
the house, in its setting on the border of the Ar- 
boretum woods. Relating the effect on the trees 
of the Arboretum, we learn from the report for 
1872 that, “At the time this house w r as built it 
could not have been placed further off without des- 
troying many of the finest beeches, chestnuts and 
oaks in the grounds ; as it is, the apparently harm- 
less clearing away of trees for the site of the build- 
ing, so exposed those on the site it should have 
occupied that most of them have since been blown 
down, or been so wrecked that they have had to be 
removed.” 
Not until 1881 was any rearrangement of heat- 
ing apparatus necessary, and then we find that 
(Report i — i— ’82 p. 7) ‘‘a low belt of rock-work, 
planted with Ferns, Lycopods, etc. , has replaced 
the pipes in the main walk.” These pipes were 
removed 7 ft. further back on either side and since 
have continued to give satisfaction. 
Mr. Decimus Burton — the architect of the Palm 
House as well— supplied designs for this house in 
1856, and the next year the tender of Messrs. 
Cubitt & Co. for the construction of the center and 
two octagons was accepted. The plans called for : 
Length. Breadth. Height. 
1. A grand center, 212.6 137.6 60 
2. Two octagons, 50. 50. 25 
3. Two wings, 112.6 62.6 37.9 
Principal among the teachings of such a stu- 
pendous structure are its details. It is interesting 
to note that the size of the glass in the grand center 
is 9 in. x 25 in. In the new wings added in 1897, 
l S% x 30 in. was provided. 
Throughout, four-inch pipe are used underneath 
the staging, and encircling the main structure eight 
pipes are arrayed. All told, twenty-eight pipes 
extend longitudinally over the surface of the 
ground. In addition sixteen run under the stage 
at right angles to these — eight at either end. All 
the heating pipes are exclusively distributed to 
within three feet above the ground elevation inside 
the house. The height to the ridge is 60 feet and 
an average minimum temperature of 45 0 is main- 
tained. In the octagons, four pipes extend along 
the sides and under the stages. 
Concerning the large house, ventilation, always 
in itself difficult to properly attain, has been pro- 
vided remarkably well, although the ventilating 
apparatus is crude and antiquated. Approximate’y 
one third of the glass can be removed in ventilating. 
At the stage level, ventilating sashes swing on 
pivots, and are opened by lifting rods. Another 
tier is elevated on the roof, just above the gallery 
— these, as those at the ridge, are manipulated by 
a crank and windlass. At the gallery level another 
tier of vertical sash are used, every third one being 
a ventilator. The ridge is a simple broad angle 
with continuous I4-ft.-wide sash ventilators, opened 
by sliding down from the top. Twelve crank 
shafts are necessary to operate those at the ridge 
alone. 
The new rectangular wing is devoted to Mexican 
plants, such as Agaves, Aloes, Cerei, and other 
succulents. The temperature is 70° . It is inter- 
esting to observe that sixteen pipes lie longitudin- 
ally with this wing. 
Ventilation is provided for in the Mexican 
House, at the top, by continuous sash openings on 
each side of the apical “lantern.” Here the en- 
tire house is of solid beds. Air is admitted at the 
sides, just above the surface of these beds, through 
twenty-six 151/j x 34 in. ventilators. 
Four ordinary saddle boilers, with 42 x 18 in. 
grates, heat the entire range within the large house. 
