THE GREENHOUSE. 
. 163 
must stand on an arch of bricks ; and from the front the passage 
to the garden may be made by a flight of steps, either of 
figured cast-iron or stone, as may be preferred, or seems most 
in accordance with the size or style of the building. Such a 
one should be regarded as more particularly intended for the re¬ 
ception of plants in bloom, and, from its position, will most likely 
come under the immediate surveillance of the fairer portion of the 
family. Indeed, it is just the place a lady would select in which 
to collect her favorites, and there enjoy their fragrance and 
beauty. 
From this we pass to the greenhouse of the gardener, where 
may be grown and brought to perfection any and all the inha¬ 
bitants of the temperate regions of the earth. A thoroughly 
good, practically useful greenhouse is a constant source of plea¬ 
sure, and indeed profit, to the possessor; but unfortunately, in 
very many instances, either from erroneous plans, or an extrava¬ 
gant and needless waste of material, it is made as nearly the op¬ 
posite as though such had been the intention of those who con¬ 
trived it. Exorbitant charges and bad construction have done 
more injury to gardeners and gardening than may be readily con¬ 
ceived. The house we should prefer for general purposes is one 
which, as before mentioned, has a span-roof, standing east and 
west, in an elevated dry situation, sheltered somewhat from the 
north-east wind, but by no means surrounded with trees ; and to 
explain our ideas more fully, and render them perfectly tangible, 
we shall again call in the aid of the engraver. The sectional 
figure given below represents a house of considerable size, suffi¬ 
cient for the growth of a large collection of plants. Its length is 
forty feet, entire breadth twenty, and the height to the ridge 
plate ten feet. The roof in this is also a fixture—that is, the 
sashes are made to remain stationary ; the advantages of which are 
manifold. In the first place, lighter material is sufficient, as all 
the wear and tear is removed; the frames and glass therefore last 
longer, requiring little or no repairs for many years, beyond the 
annual coat of paint which these places should always receive. A 
considerable amount of labour is also saved, and the general ap¬ 
pearance of the erection greatly improved ; the ventilation being 
effected in this case by an ingenious contrivance, invented by 
Mr. Farmer, greenhouse-builder, Newington Causeway. It is 
