Having now seen this description of ridge and furrow house at Chatsworth, at the Sheffield Botanic Garden, at Mr. Jedediah Strutt's at Belper, and at Mr. Harrison's at Cheshunt, we are prepared to state with confidence, that we think the plan a substantial improvement, and one particularly adapted for green-houses and plant stoves intended to be rendered ornamental. The plan of the original house erected at Chatsworth by Mr. Paxton, with all its details, will be found in Paxton's Magazine of Botany, vol. ii. p. 80.; and from that plan and other sources we intend shortly to prepare an article for this Magazine, and for our Suburban Horticulturist. In the paths of all the stoves, green-houses, and forcing-houses in the kitchen-garden at Chatsworth, Mr. Paxton has introduced a simple economical and beneficial improvement. This is, where the pipes or flues for hearing are under the paths, to cover them with loose cross pieces of boards; each of the length of the width of the path, and about 4 in. broad; the result of which is, that, while the heat is freely admitted to ascend, the dust and other matters, when the paths are swept, descend immediately; and any length of path, on any emergency, can be rendered quite clean in a few minutes, without raising a dust in the house to disfigure the leaves of the plants, and encourage the red spider, which dust deposited in the leaves is always found to do. These boards, being all loose, can be taken up once or twice a year, and the space below cleaned out. Even when it is desired to water the paths in order to raise steam, the water sinks between the boards; and, while the latter are quite dry and comfortable for the feet, the vapour rises in abundance.
