Fig. 25.—Perspective.
NEW YORK: GEO. E. WOODWARD & CO., 31 BROAD STREET, and ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 245 BROADWAY.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by GEO. E. & F. W. WOODWARD, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York.
Polyprosopic is not a dictionary word, at least we cannot find it in our two-volume large quarto edition of Webster, but Loudon makes use of it to name a special form of roof sometimes made use of in the construction of Horticultural buildings, the true meaning of which we believe is, that the interior side or outline of the rafter is curvilinear and the exterior formed of planes or faces.
A very extensive practice in the design and erection of Horticultural buildings of all classes and for all purposes, from the low priced commercial shed to the finished crystal palaces, that adorn our finest country seats, has led us to a more thorough investigation of this now very important subject, and we have been enabled by a long practical experience in the construction and practical management of Horticultural buildings to reach conclusions relative to form, combination, heating and management that could not be arrived at in any other manner.
We have illustrated examples of the straight and curvilinear roofs, and now give the polyprosopic roof, in which manner we have erected some half dozen graperies and plant houses.[Pg 78]
Fig. 25.—Perspective.
This particular form of hot houses was described by Mr. Loudon in his encyclopedia of gardening some thirty years ago, and he says, "he considers it to be the ne plus ultra of improvement as far as air and light are concerned."
Mr. Leuchars in his practical treaties on hot-houses published some twelve or fifteen years since, illustrates this form of house and says: "It is by some considered superior to all other forms for winter forcing."
Fig. 26.—Section.
Mr. James Cranston of Birmingham, England, has also adopted this form of construction, which in many respects he considers ahead of all others. It seems to have been very generally known and used by many builders of glass-houses, and its numerous combinations of sliding, lifting, and permanently fastened sash, has been public property for upwards of thirty years. Although nearly approaching to the curvi[Pg 80]linear, form it lacks the graceful beauty of a continuous curved line, and as excessive ventilation so necessary in the climate of England, is not required in our dry sunny atmosphere, the lifting or sliding sash roof is not considered so desirable as the continuous fixed roof, which is at once the most beautiful and the most economical roof yet introduced.
The principal advantage of the Polyprosopic roof, is its portability, that is, it can be made in sashes, and transported to any portion of the country, thus obviating the necessity of painting and glazing in the hot atmosphere of the interior, or loss of time from storms, etc., on outside work. The fixed roof house can be sent anywhere primed, but the glazing and second coat of paint must be done after the erection of the building; either house we think equally well adapted to growing purposes, but as a matter of beauty and economy we give the preference to the fixed curvilinear roof.
The engraving is a view of a Plant House, erected by us for Mr. Geo. H. Brown, on his beautiful estate of Millbrook, near Washington Hollow, Duchess County, New York. The plan of the house gives two nearly equal apartments, one to be used as a propagating and forcing house, and the other as a conservatory or show house for plants and flowers. Both are heated by the circulation of hot water and can be worked[Pg 81] independently of each other. Such houses add very much to the attractions of a country estate, and impress a stranger with a higher degree of taste and refinement, while the owner has added very much to his luxuries and enjoyments.