of the ground. They can be made, too, to cover in any extent of area without sustaining walls. Indeed, it has been proposed to support such roofs to a great extent upon suspension principles, the internal columns of support being utilized for conducting the rain-water off the roof to underground drains or reservoirs. The lean-to is the least desirable form, since it scarcely admits of elegance of design, but it is necessarily adopted in many cases. In glazing, the greater the surface of glass, and the less space occupied by rafters and astragals as well as overlaps, the greater the admission of light. Some prefer that the sash-bars should be grooved instead of rebated, and this plan exposes less putty to the action of the weather. The simple bedding of the glass, without the use of ow er putty, seems to be widely approved, but the glass may be fixed in a variety of other ways, some of which are patented.

The Conserzalory is often built in connexion with the mansion, so as to be entered from the drawing room or boudoir. But when so situated it is apt to sutfer from the shade of the building and ls oluectionable on account of admitting damp to the drawing-room. Wherc circumstances will admit, it is better to place it at some distance from the house and to form a connexion b means of a glass corridor. In order that the conservatory may be kept gay with flowers, there should be a subsidiary structure to receive the plants as the go out of bloom. The conservatory may also with great propriety be placed in the flower garden, where it may occupy an eleated terrace, and form the termination of one of the more important alks

Cireat variety of design is admissible in the conservatory, but it ought always to be adapted to the style of the mansion of which it ls .1 prominent appendage. Some very pleasing examples are to be met mth hich hae the form of a parallelogram with a lightly rounded roof, others of appropriate character are square or nearly so “ith a ridge and-furrow roof. Whatever the form, there must be light in abundance, and the shade both of buildings and of trees must be a oided. A southern aspect, or one varying to south-east or south e-t, is preferable, if these aspects cannot be secured, the plants selected must be adapted to the position. The central part of the house ma be devoted to permanent plants; the side stages and open spaces in the permanent beds should be reserved for the temporar Plants

The Greenhouse is a structure designed for the growth of such exotic plants as require to be kept during winter in a tem erature considerable aboxe the freezing-point The best form is the span roofed, a single span being better even than a series of spans such as form the ridge-and-furrow roof. For plant culture, nouses at a comparatn el low pitch are better than higher ones where the plants hae to stand at a greater distance from the glass, and therefore in greater gloom Fig 3 represents a convenient form of greenhouse. It is 20 ft. wide and

I2 ft. high, and may

be of any convenient

tl; length. The side

5|i f ' walls are surmounted

by short upright

g , L*“ sashes which open

A ~;; -»>"' outwards by machinery

a, and the

nb roof is provided with

if-3 u sliding upper sashes

for top ventilation

I he upper sashes may also be made to lift, and are in many respect ts tmore cc;n-L-, venien o opera e

FIG 3 -Section of Greenhouse. ' In the Centre 15 3 ide, for plants, with a pathway on each side 3 ft. side stage 4 ft wide, the side stages being fiat, and the two-tier stage 6 ft.

wide, and a

centre sta e

having the middle portion one-third of the vudth elevated I gt above the rest so as to lift up the middle row of plants nearer the light span-roofed houses of this character should run north and south so as to secure an equalization of light, and should be warmed by two flow, and one or two return 4-in hot-water pipes tarried under the side stages along each side and across each end W here it ls desned to cultivate a lar e number of plants, it is much better to xncrtase the number of sucii houses than to provide larger structures The smaller houses are far better for cultural purposes, while the plants can be classified, and the little details of management more conveniently attended to. Pelargoniums, einerarias, calceolarias, cy claniens, camellias, heaths, roses and other specialities might thus have to themselves either a whole house or part of a house, the conditions of which could then be more accurately fitted to the wants of the inmates

The lean-to house is in most respects inferior to the span-roofed; one of the latter could be converted into two of the former of opposite aspects by a divisional wall along the centre. Except where space does not permit a span-roofed building to be introduced, a lean-to IS not to be recommended; but a house of this class may often be greatly improved by ado ting a half-span or hipped roof-that is, one with a short slope beiiind and a longer in front. Where the cultivation of large specimens has to be carried on, a span-roofed house of greater height and larger dimensions may sometimes prove useful; but space for this class of plants may generally be secured in a house of the smaller elevation, simply by owering or removing altogether the staging erected for smaller rger ones to stand on or nearer the floor. no respect from the greenhouse except plants, and allowing the la

I' he Plant Stove differs in

in having a greater extent of hot-water pipes for the purpose of securing a greater degree

houses often attain a

larger size, and many of

of heat, although, as the plants in stove them requgie a bed of 1

coco-nut re, tan or

leaf mould to supply 6 B

them with bottom heat,

a somewhat greater, / ' ""'

elevation may perhaps

be occasionally required .

in some of the houses, lg

For the smaller plants, ,

and for all choicer sub-

jects, the smaller size

of hgugefalready gecom- 1-'—Qt,

men e or een ouses, ll 0 C " O60 0

namely 20 fir wide and LmQ3Oi, ' », ...., S3°°.§ ., I2 ft. high, with a side W ' " ' ' I

table of 4 ft. on each side, i . 9 9—L" ~5“ a pathway of 3 ft and a FIG. 4.-Section of Plant Stove. central stage on fwo levels

of 6 ft. wide, will be preferable, because more easily managed as to the su ply of heat and moisture. It will be seen (fig. 4) that along the ridge of the roof a raised portion or lantern light b, b is introduced, which permits of the fixing of two continuous ventilators, one along each side, for the egress of heated and foul air, openings a, a being also provided in the side walls opposite the hot-water pipes for the admission of pure cold air. This type of house is also very suitable for greenhouse plants, but would not need so much heating apparatus. Three or four rows of How and return pipes respectively will be required on each side, according to the heat proposed to be maintained. In their interior fittings plant stoves require more cafe than greenhouses, which are much drier, and in which consequently the staging does not so soon decay. In stoves the stages should be of slate or stone where practicable, and the supports of iron. These should be covered with a layer of 2 or 3 in of some coarse gritty material, such as pounded spar, or the shell sand obtained on the sea coast, on which the pots are to stand; its use is to absorb moisture and gradually give it out for the benent of the plants The pathways should be paved with tiles, brick or stone, or made of concrete and cement, and the surface should be gently rounded so that the water required for evaporation may drain to the sides while the centre IS sufficiently drv to walk upon; they should also have brick or stone edgings to prevent the water so applied soaking away at the sides and thus being wasted.

Fruit Houses -The principal of these are the vinery, peach orchard house. These,

or a portion of them,

especially the vineries

and peacheries, are

frequently brought

together into a range

along the principal

interior or south wall

of the garden, where

they are well exposed

to sun and light, an

ornamental plant

house being some house,

cucumber and melon house and

Q 5 I0

m-§ =i=;==

FIG. 5.-Lean-to Vinery.

times introduced into the centre of the range in order to give effect to the outline of the buildings. When thus associated,

the houses are usually of the lean-to class, which have the