20S 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 4, 1859. 
which is so little understood as that subject, by those who 
get into the country from the* hives of industry, and do as 
others do, and did before them, or rather try to do so, but 
often.spend a mint of money before they can get things 
into working order. Our Surbiton subscriber’s will now see 
another excellent way of laying down portable bouses, from 
their own builder and architect. But Mr. Fish is too good- 
natured by half, and wants first an understanding with the 
landlord, for leave to remove his fancies at the end of the 
lease; which would be the best way certainly, if landlords 
were all but half so good-natured ns he is. But I have 
heard some things about landlords, since this question was 
mooted, which made my hair stand on end, and which so 
roused the Rob Roy within me, that I shall not leave a 
stone unturned in favour of plant-houses being as portable 
as feather beds. But I must see the new house which Mr. 
Eyles, of the Crystal Palace, spoke about, before f shall 
describe the house which suggested the question. 
That house is a new greenhouse, which was put up this 
last autumn in the Experimental Garden. It is the second 
house thnt was put together, on an entire new and very 
superior plan of construction ; but is the very reverse of 
being a portable bouse. Before it was finished, I was 
asked, over and over again, to get hold of the best mode 
of having bouses portable, and to apply the new kind of 
construction to them, which would leave nothing to be 
desired. 
The Messrs. Jackson, of Kingston, father aud son, are 
well known as one of the most practical firms in the nursery 
trade ; and the father is also the father of the Experimental 
Garden, although he has not seen it from the very first day 
of its existence on the experimental cut. But these prac¬ 
tical neighbours of ours got scent of the new style of hot¬ 
house building at the Experimental before our house was 
half finished. So they scut for our builder, and examined 
him on the practice and principle of the new style, with 
which style they were so much taken, that they gave him 
an order on the spot to erect for them, aud to be a reference 
for their customers, a portable house of large dimensions. 
Were it not for the benefit of their friends, neighbours, and 
customers, this house—like all their houses—would be as 
firm a fixture as the new house at the Experimental ; as 
all the nursery ground, with the exception of a few odd 
bits, is their own freehold property. 
Well, before that house was half up in the Kingston 
Nursery, the plan aud principle was so much approved of 
at the Experimental, that an entire new roof ijpr the con¬ 
servatory was determined upon. This has since been put 
up ; so that we have it in three forms within a rifle shot; 
and all who see either of the three houses, think them a 
vast improvement on anything of the kind that has hitherto 
beeu done in hothouse building. I should like Mr. Fish to 
see these houses, and to describe them for me. 1 could 
give him a hotbed, and a rasher of streaky bacon, but I 
cannot show him the Experimental Garden under glass. 
Mr. Jackson was so good, however, as to promise me, the 
other day, that Mr. Fish, or any of my friends, were quite 
welcome to see his new house; and, no doubt, any oilier 
respectable person may have the same privilege; and I 
would recommend hothouse builders about London, to take 
advantage of this, and inspect this house. But, in other 
cases, 1 should not like others, from mere curiosity, to give 
much bother to the firm, on my account, without bringing 
some grist, however small, to the mill. But order a few 
plants, and the thing is a settled privilege on both sides. 
After seeing Mr. Eyle’s new bouse, 1 shall give a section 
of the Messrs. Jacksons’ new house, and all the particulars 
of those at the Experimental. The plan is certain 
to be adopted by all hothouse builders, on the principle of 
economy, as no rafter, or prop, or stay-bar, inside or out, 
being at all necessary, a house so constructed may be 
taken down, and tuken elsewhere, as easily as taking down 
a bedstead, or a camp tent. The lights which roof the 
conservatory at the Experimental are just eighteen feet 
six inches long, and no rafter, prop, post, or stay-bar, is re¬ 
quired to keep them up, or together, as long as the wood 
and glass stands. 
The Messrs. Jackson’s house is placed on two old side 
walls, twenty-two feet apart. It is a span-roof, springing 
from those walls, and it is hard upon forty feet long. The 
door is at one end, and is sufficiently wide to allow a horse 
and cart, with a load of specimen-plants, to enter in as 
safely as through a gateway.*. The ventilation is complete, 
aud the whole, except the walls, might be taken down any 
day, without the risk of breaking a single pane of glass. 
The builder is Mr. Mac.cvostie, of Kingston, who is also our 
principal glass-merchant, and who is the inventor of this 
style of hothouse building, the invention being hit upon 
this last summer. I heard that he had erected a large, 
cheap house for a gentleman at Ham, near Richmond, and 
I sent for him to learn the particulars. I saw the great 
advantage in a moment, and a new greenhouse for the 
Experimental was the first fruits of the consultation. The 
Experimental authorities beiug well known in these parts 
as good judges, with good taste, the Messrs. Jackson needed 
no consultation, but dived into the plan at once, knowing 
that what is good for the offspring could not be had for the 
parent. 
The new greenhouse had to be treated with hot water, 
of course, to be in keeping with the new idea; hut the only 
new thing in that arrangement was the joints for the pipes, 
which joints will he the grand desideratum in the new 
portable houses. They can be fixed and unfixed as easily 
as the joints of a telescope. No stuffing or hammering, as 
on the common plan. A ring of vulcanised Indiarubber, 
about tbe thickness of my little finger, is put round the 
end of the pipe; that end is then put gently inside the 
socket of the next pipe, until the ring is just inside the 
socket all round; then a good push drives it home up to 
the end of the socket, and the joint is finished, and water¬ 
proof and fireproof, and no messing, or towing, or red lead¬ 
ing, or anything more. The pipes will bend about at these 
joints, if it is necessary; and, when the whole is finished, 
you would hardly believe there was a made joint in the 
bouse, or any water in the pipes, for all the joints look wide 
open. But neither air nor water will escape these elastic 
rings,—elastic garters they might be called,—and this order 
of the garter will hold all the secrets within, against any 
force from without, against the cannon boiler itself, if 
need be. When such pipes are unjoiuted, the man, or his 
tackle, must pull out each pipe with earnest force, as the 
elastic rings “ suck” as much as the hindrance by friction; 
but it is soon out with a bang, like uncorking old wine or 
whisky. Therefore, what could he more clean and con¬ 
venient at tho end of a lease, than hang out with them all. 
Take them to the next start, and push at them till they are 
all in as tight ns before, aud who would know the difference, 
if the landlord did not hear the noise. 
These vulcanised rings are made to suit all sizes of pipes, 
and are sold by the pound; but I do not know who makes 
them, nor who sells them; hut I hear they are in great 
demand for steam-engine work ; aud there is not the slightest 
danger about them, or any fear that they will leak, or get out 
of order. In one respect, they are dearer than the common 
liot-water joint of tow, twist, and red lead ; hut a couple of 
handy men will make from 00 to 100 joints with them in one 
day, in any open place where they cau use tbeirlimbs without 
being hampered in their movements. They, therefore, come 
much cheaper to the builder ; and they are invaluable 
where the pipes have to be altered or removed. Mr. Mac- 
crostie said that he used them for the last three years; but 
lie did not seem to put more stress oil them than on the 
common joint; and, this being the first time they are men¬ 
tioned in our hooks,—as far as my reading goes,—I should 
like to hear the opinions of any parties who may have had 
them in use, no matter where, or how; as the merits of all 
new contrivances ought to bo sifted belore they are re¬ 
commended for general use. 
That was just the reason why I sent out the inquiries 
about portable greenhouses, when the subject was pressed 
