The manner in which the working-sheds are heated by the waste heat from the furnaces, in consequence of which, in severe weather, much more work will be done in them, and in a better manner, and in which they are lighted, so as to serve for protecting certain kinds of plants during winter, is worthy of imitation; as is the mode of heating so many different houses from only three boilers. In no garden structures have we seen a more judicious use of the Penrhyn slate; paths, edgings, shelves, cisterns, boxes for plants, copings, kerbs, partitions, and substitutes for dwarf walls, being all made of it. The order and neatness with which all the different tools, utensils, &c., are kept in the horticultural and farm buildings, are most exemplary, and greatly facilitate the despatch of business. In the construction of the hot-houses, the most remarkable is one on the ridge and furrow principle of Mr. Paxton. accurately copied from the original house at Chatsworth; and, as this is the only house of the kind that we know of within the same distance of London, we shall give a plan, elevation, and view of it. This house is marked 7 and 8 in the ground plan, fig. 159. in p. 642, 643.; one half of it being used as a geranium-house, and the other as a botanic stove. Fig. 169. is a geometrical elevation of part of the front of this house, showing, in a conspicuous manner, the ridges and furrows. Ventilation is given by opening the glazed triangular panel in front of each ridge, which is hinged on its lower side; and by the opening of shutters of similar form and dimensions in the back wall, under the upper part of the ridge. Fig. 170. is a cross section through the middle of one of the ridges of the roof, in which are shown at i the oblique direction of the sash bars between the ridge and the furrow, and the panes of glass put in at right angles to the bars at k. There are openings under each ridge, in the back wall, and also in front, for ventilation. Fig. 171. is a ground plan of a portion of this house, showing the entrance at a; a partition, by which a part of the house may be treated as a stove, b b; the hot-water pipes, c c; the stage for green-house plants, d; cistern for water in the stove division, e; and box for Musa Cavendishii, f. The cistern and the box are formed of slabs of slate, held together by iron bolts, which pass through the two opposite plates, and are made fast with screws and nuts. Fig. 170. h, g, h, is a vertical profile of part of a ridge on a large scale, in which g is the ridge piece, or crown of the ridge; and h h the gutters or furrows. The width of these ridges, from furrow to furrow, is about 6 ft.; and the height, from the level of the furrow to the crown of the ridge, is about 3 ft. The advantages attending this kind of house have been already noticed, p. 452.
