88 CONSTRUCTION OF HOT-HOUSES.-NO.l.-COVERING WALL-TREES, ETC., WITH GLASS. 
Full View of a Hot-House.—Fig. 16. 
CONSTRUCTION OF HOT-HOUSES.—No. 1. 
As the construction of hot-houses and the modes 
of heating and ventilating them have had, and still 
hold, a large share of interest both in Europe and 
in this country, and have been attended with the 
best results in forcing grapes, figs, and other choice 
fruits, as well as in the production of rare exotics 
and early vegetables, we have the more confidence 
in bringing this subject before our readers. 
The most usual and economical form for con¬ 
structing a hot-house, or conservatory, is with a 
lean-to roof, facing the south, glazed in a similar 
manner as denoted in the above representation, de¬ 
signed by Mr. J. Thomson, Landscape Gardener, 
Garden Architect, Nurseryman, &c., of Hammer¬ 
smith, England. Another form, called the ridge 
and furrow house, although more costly in its con¬ 
struction, is preferable on account of obtaining a 
more equal diffusion of the sun’s influence than any 
other description of building. When fronting the 
south, that is, with the ridges north and south, in¬ 
clining upward from the front to the back, at the 
same angle of a lean-to roof, the angles from the 
ridge to the valley of this class of house will then 
be east and west; thus presenting a surface to the 
direct rays of the morning and evening sun, while 
those at mid-day will strike the angle obliquely and 
produce a more equal temperature, the benefits of 
which are obvious from the longer duration and 
more equal distribution of the influence of the sun. 
For the purpose of forcing vines, nectarines, &c., 
the ridge and furrow system has a decided advan¬ 
tage over every other mode of construction. Sup¬ 
pose a house to be planted with black Hamburgh 
grapes, it is seldom desirable to have the fruit all 
ripe at a time ; on the contrary, it is better to have 
it in perfection as long as possible. Now with one 
vine under the ridge and another under the furrow 
rafter, throughout the house, this object will be at¬ 
tained, as the heat will always be greatest in the 
angles under the ridge, and least under the furrow 
rafter ; consequently, the grapes under the ridge will 
be considerably earlier than those under the furrow; 
besides, a better distribution of the sun’s rays will 
be secured for each vine than under a plain surface. 
A similar advantage will be gained if the house be 
planted with various sorts, by keeping those re¬ 
quiring most heat, such as Muscats, Frotignans, 
&c., under the ridge, and Hamburghs, Sweetwaters, 
&c., under the furrows. 
COVERING WALL-TREES AND FOREIGN 
GRAPE-VINES WITH GLASS. 
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Grape-vine trained within a frame.—Fig. 17. 
Those who desire early plums, nectarines, fo¬ 
reign gra; , &c., can obtain them at a compara¬ 
tively small expense, by inclosing the trees or vines 
upon a wall within a frame in the manner illustrated 
by the adjoining wood engraving. 
The doors, or windows, forming the frontage, 
may be hung with hinges, and opened or shut at 
pleasure, for the purposes of watering, ventilation, 
pruning, gathering the fruit, &c. The glass in 
front, when closed, would not only protect the trees 
from cold, but would assist in bringing the fruit to 
maturity and guard it in a great measure from the 
atacks of flies, wasps, and most other insects, liable 
to prey upon the trees. The cost of a frame of this 
description, 7 feet by 12, in front, need not exceed 
fifteen or twenty dollars. 
Horticulture. —God first planted a garden ; and 
indeed it is the purest of human pleasures; it is 
the greatest refreshment to the spirits of many, 
without which buildings and palaces are but gross 
handy works .—Lord Bacon. 
