Fig. 34.—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.
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[Pg 95] front on, and are entered from, Thirty-ninth Street, thus using the whole space.
Fig. 34.—Perspective.
Fig. 35.—Ground Plan.
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 accus[Pg 97]tomed 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.[Pg 98] 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.