Part 8

DESIGN No. 11.

The following illustration is of a Plant House attached to a dwelling, and is quite different in its plan from those before given. It was designed and erected for J. C. Johnston, Esq., of Scarborough, N. Y.

It is built on the south side of the dwelling, and is entered from the parlor as well as from the pleasure grounds. Fig. 32 is a perspective view, which gives the reader a good idea of its general appearance, though we can not help saying that in this case, at least, the picture does not flatter; the house looks finer on the ground than in the picture. The circular house on the southeast corner is strictly an ornamental feature, and a very pretty one.

The interior arrangement is shown in the ground plan, Fig. 33. The house is divided into two compartments, A and B. The last is intended for growing and propagating plants. The house is heated by hot water pipes, the boiler being placed in the cellar of the dwelling, which is entered by the steps, f; e is a propagating tank, fitted with sliding sashes. It is quite large enough to propagate all the plants the owner will want; d, d, are beds about a foot deep, with a moderate bottom heat, for plunging pots in when desired; w is the walk. This compartment is to be used for bringing plants into bloom, after which they are to be taken to the show room or conservatory, marked A in the plan. The arrangement of this compartment is such, that all the plants in it may be seen from the parlor door or window, the steps leading to which are marked b; a, d, d, are tables; c would make a pretty little fountain, but it is intended at present to put it in the form of a rustic basket, and fill it with ornamental plants. The effect can not be otherwise than good. Climbing plants of various kinds will be trained up the mullions and rafters of the circular house, and allowed to hang in festoons from the roof. When the house is filled with flowering and ornamental-leaved plants, with climbers dependent from the roof, the effect will be charming.

DESIGN No. 12.

COLD GRAPERIES FOR CITY LOTS.

In this illustration is given three graperies, designed and constructed by us for Mr. John H. Sherwood of this city, which are among the first, if not the first erected in New York, as an elegant, substantial and attractive addition to three very superb palatial residences on Murray Hill, near 5th Avenue. These latter are buildings, such as, in style and workmanship, very few persons in this country, outside of New York, have seen, and such as but few of the first class builders of New York are competent to erect.

Centrally located in the aristocratic portion of a city noted for its wealth, taste and influence, these Graperies will be carefully watched as an index of what the future may do in the increased demand for houses on city lots for Horticultural purposes.

A full sized lot in the city of New York is twenty-five feet wide by one hundred feet in depth. The ground attached to each dwelling in this case is equal to two full sized lots, being twenty-five feet wide and two hundred feet in depth. The dwellings front on Fortieth Street, behind which are the yards, twenty by twenty-five feet; the Graperies, which are twenty-five feet by forty feet; then the coach houses, which front on, and are entered from, Thirty-ninth Street, thus using the whole space.

The graperies are intended to be used without heat; but whenever desirable, heating apparatus can be easily introduced, and the grape season materially lengthened. For practical purposes only, and on open grounds, it would, perhaps, have been better to have built the houses lower; but as grapes are usually fruited next to the glass, the principal objection to high houses for grape culture is the extra labor in getting up to the vines for pruning and training. These houses are purposely built higher than is now usual, to give a finer effect from the drawing-room windows, and to secure, as far as possible, the influence of the sun's rays.

By the use of glass houses on city lots, much enjoyment may be had by all who have a desire to spend their time in growing fine fruits and flowers. Pot vines and trees condense a vineyard and orchard into a wonderfully small space, and border vines yield a harvest of glorious fruit that surprise all not accustomed to seeing and eating such luxuries. Our city lots, with rare exceptions, are well adapted to the growth, under glass, of grapes and orchard fruit, and the forcing of vegetables. There are many of them somewhat shaded during portions of the day, yet the better protection is something of a compensation, and besides that, it is still an open question whether sun-light is alone essential in perfecting fruit; daylight in many cases does pretty well.

The failure to receive the sun's rays the entire day would not deter us one moment from the erection of a horticultural building. Those who grow fruit where all conditions are most favorable to success, do not enjoy the same pleasure nor attain the same skill as those who battle with difficulties; success easily acquired has not the same value as success which is reached by persistent effort against adverse circumstances.

Unlike the garden of a country gentleman that blossoms and fruits and passes away in a season, the horticultural building properly heated is a perpetual pleasure, a garden the year round; vegetables and fruit and flowers follow each other without intermission.

Very much is due to the foresight and energy of Mr. Sherwood, in inaugurating the introduction of horticultural structures of this class in New York. Few gentlemen of wealth have had the same opportunity, and few less would have the courage to take the first bold step in this matter. It cannot, however, by horticulturists, be looked upon as an experiment, however much those inexperienced in such matters may be disposed to criticise.

We are sure that Mr. Sherwood has done something that will advance the cause of Horticulture, and equally sure that he will be successful in the result. We shall feel much interested in his progress.

DESIGN No. 13.

In our present illustration we have an example of what may be done with a wall. It was necessary, for certain purposes, to cut away an embankment, and build a sustaining wall. After this had been done, we were asked if the wall could not be devoted to some useful purpose, and it was determined to build a lean-to grapery against it. The chief difficulty in the way was the wet and springy nature of the ground at the level marked water line in Fig. 38. It was found, however, that it could be drained; but at certain seasons of the year surface water would accumulate from the overflow of a milldam. But there is generally some way to overcome difficulties. In this case, the border was placed inside the house, and well raised, with a firm concrete bottom between the ground and water lines, and suitable drains connecting with the main drain under the front wall, to secure the requisite degree of dryness inside. Up to the present time we believe every thing has gone on very favorably. We have no doubt that many other places, now deemed useless, might be converted into good graperies at an expense that the results would fully warrant. In case this was successful, it was the owner's purpose to extend the house along the wall at the left; and it was therefore deemed best to insert the valley at the angle, to save future expense in tearing down the end of the house.

Fig. 36 is a perspective view of the house, which, in connection with Fig. 38 will give the reader a good idea of the general arrangement. Fig. 37 is a plan.

DESIGN No. 14.

Our next illustration is a hot grapery. It is forty-one feet long and twenty feet wide. Fig. 39 is a perspective view. It is covered with a low, continuous, curvilinear roof, and is without side lights. The omission of side lights materially lessens the cost of the house, and secures additional warmth. In some cases, side lights serve no other purpose than architectural effect. Graperies, propagating houses, and plant houses generally may very well be constructed without them; some of these houses, indeed, are very much better without them.

In the present instance, to prevent what is called a "squatty" appearance, and also to give additional headway, the side walls were carried up some twenty inches above the ground line. The house is thus made to assume a handsome appearance. Air is introduced into the house at the sides, through underground wooden air chambers opening on the inside near the walk. Instead of these wooden air chambers, we now use six inch glazed pipes, as being more convenient and durable. It is an effective and excellent mode of introducing fresh air, without letting it directly on the plants. Ventilation is effected by the sash over the end doors, and also by ventilators placed along the ridge board.

Fig. 40 is the ground plan. At the north end a small room is partitioned off for a boiler pit. On one side is a chest of drawers for seeds, &c., and on the other some shelving. In connection with the boiler pit is a coal bin, not, however, of very large capacity. The house is heated by two four-inch pipes, the design being not to work the house very early. The border is entirely inside the house, and is composed principally of sod, muck, and gravel, with the addition of some old manure and bone shavings. The vines have done well, annually ripening a fine crop of fruit, and the house has in all respects proved to be satisfactory.

DESIGN No. 15.

This is a plan of a range of houses designed and built for Joseph Howland, Esq., of Matteawan, N. Y. It is a large and imposing structure, befitting the character of Mr. Howland's ample grounds. It stands at the north end of the kitchen garden, and conceals it from the dwelling, from which the range is in full view. A part of the structure on the right, used as a green house, not shown in ground plan, was built some four or five years ago with the old sliding sash roof, which was found so unsatisfactory that at the time of the erection of the new portion, this roof was removed and replaced with a curvilinear fixed roof to correspond with the rest.

It will be observed that the range is divided into two parts by a road-way. The design of this was to enable the family to visit the houses at any time in the carriage without exposure to the weather, and enjoy the fruits, flowers, and temperature of tropical climates, without the necessity of leaving their homes.

The north side of the middle houses is covered with boards and battened. End ventilation being impracticable here, top ventilation is increased so as to meet all requirements.

Fig. 41 is the ground plan. On the right is the old green house, a portion of the foundation of which is shown. This communicates with the hot grapery and tool house, under which is a capacious root cellar. From the covered road-way, all the parts of this extensive range are easily accessible. Across the road-way, between the houses, is a handsome double gate, a sketch of which is given in Fig. 42.

Crossing the road-way, we enter the cold grapery. The foundation of this rests on piers, the border being outside. There are hot-water pipes in this compartment, to be used only to keep out frost. It may, however, be used as a "second" hot grapery. Passing out of the cold grapery, we enter what may be called the conservatory, its principal use being for the show of ornamental plants; and to this end it has several accessories which add much to its beauty. One of these which may be noticed is a neat fountain in the centre; always a pretty feature wherever it can be introduced. Another is a rustic niche or alcove in the north wall, built of rough stones, over and through which the water constantly trickles into a basin. Its full beauty will not be seen till it has acquired age, and become covered with mosses and ferns. Fortunately for the plants and for good taste, there is no shelving in this house. Beds are formed of brick, with a neat coping, in which the pots are set. This arrangement is much more effective than any manner of staging could possibly be.