AngnBt 1, 188S. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICTJLTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



87 



I need not at present say anything of the old, heavy, wooden 

 bouses tli;il kept out more than a fourtli of the h(,'ht, and en- 

 tailed a constant expense to keep them sif;h(ly and in repair. 

 1 need not Ciileulate what even the cheapest modern orchard- 

 houses will cost for glazing and painting after the few first 

 years' wear. I need not speak of the objections to iron liouses 

 glazed in the visuiJ way, fnnu the expansion and contraction of 

 the metal, glass, &c. I need not tell of the breakage by ex- 

 pansion, when glass was placed-edgo to edge witliimt laps, from 

 the putty becoming too hard to permit of expansion. I need 

 not describe how, when large scjuares were fastened without 

 putty by means of screws and elastic bedding beneath the 

 screws, the glass rattled in a windy day as if it resolved to 

 dance merrily to the inspiring music of the gale ; but I must 

 add, that all these dra\Wjacks seemed to be avoided by the 

 simple plans ado])ted by Mr. Beard. 



Light and elegance are secured by maldng the house an 

 almost continuous plane of glass from the top to the ground 

 level, whether the house be lean-to or span, the sash-bars being 

 strong, elegant, but light, and without any rebates. Ventila- 

 tion is secured by openings at top by various modes — as lever, 

 rod, itc, and in the front close to the groimd, which might 

 be modified in i)eculiar circumstances. No lap with its accu- 

 mulation of filth is seen, as the large squares are cut to butt 

 close agniust each other. No putty is used, and here, I think, 

 will bo found the great feature of the plan. A strip of non- 

 conducting elastic material, as asphalt, is placed on the flat 

 upper side of the bar and as wide as the bar, these bars being 

 generally 2 feet apart. The glass squares rest by their edges 

 on this asphalt, another strip is placed over the glass, and 

 then a neat thin iron rod, flat below and rounded above, is 

 laid on the top of the upper strip over the glass, and is con- 

 nected with tlio bar with screws, holding all firmly in their 

 place, and yet the elastic material prevents all injiuy from ex- 

 pansion and contraction. If the glass were fitted edge to edge 

 crosswise, and glazed with hard putty at the sides, there would 

 be danger of cracking by expansion. I should be afraid of the 

 same thing hajipening if the glass were placed edge to edge 

 crosswise, and the end of one square came close to the end of 

 the other squire on the midtUe of the bar, without rebates, even 

 with the assistance of the elastic material below and above, as 

 the glass could neither expand laterally nor longitudinally. 

 But, now, in Jlr. Beard's plan, is a simple but distinct featm-e. 

 The ends of the large squares do not incH on the middlr of the har, 

 but about a quarter of an inch or so is left between them, and 

 this room for lateral expansion is found so efficient that I was 

 assured that not a single square had been cracked for three 

 years, and that even the lowest squares that abutted over the 

 water-trough passed through the winters unharmed. It will be 

 seen that tlie system not only does away with putt\-ing at first, 

 but it does away with all chipping and hacking when a square 

 IS broken. The thin rod that secures the glass and its bed;ling 

 to the bar is in several pieces in a roof at all wide, and when a 

 square is broken the two opposite pieces of rod are unscrewed, 

 the damaged square removed, and a fresh one slipped in and 

 screwed down. No glass is proposed to be used under 21-oz. 

 per foot. 



Painting, one of the most expensive operations connected 

 with the building and keeping up of glass houses, it is hoped 

 w-Ul be avoided — first, by the use of galvanised iron. It would 

 he well to obtain evidence as to how long the galvanising would 

 last when exposed to the atmosphere. Even if it proved pretty 

 lasting, the dark dingy colour might be unacceptable to many 

 people, as it will get darker as it becomes older. To remedy this 

 drawback, I was shown iron undergoing a process of enamelling. 

 The pular.s, bars, &c., are first painted with red lead and 

 undergo a process of baking, are then several times painted 

 with peculiar white paint, and baked or roasted in a high 

 tem))erature. Some sash-bars shown me were as hard and 

 bright as white china. Of course, it will have to be proved 

 how long this enamelling will last. 



And, lastly, the first inspection showed me that such houses 

 would be valuable for tenants who did not wish to put up what 

 they could not take away. The houses, whether le:in-to or 

 span, are supported at the sides by neat iron columns of any 

 requisite height. Each of these columns is hollow, and not 

 only supports the roof and water-spout, but takes the water into 

 'a. di'ain or other means below, or a number of the hollow tubes 

 may be stopped if tlie water is to be taken to either or both 

 ends. Everything is made to tit, and screwed neatly together. 

 30 that when all is in readiness a house is soon put up and 

 soon taken down. 



I may add, tliat I luiow nothing more than what I saw in a 

 short visit, that I did not take a single note, and merely write 

 from memory, that I never heard of the patentees before, that 

 I write this without their knowledge, and having no other object 

 than to make a novelty in the right direction generally known, 

 convinced, if the system answer, it will lie used for many pur- 

 poses besides houseii for growing plants, aiul other horticultural 

 uses. 



Perhaps, as already hinted at, the best practical idea involved, 

 is not only the elastic substance beneath and above the glass 

 but more )iartieularly the open space between the squares on 

 the sash-bars. No doubt that looks a very simple matter, and 

 so it is when we see it. Anything is simple only when under- 

 stood. We neglect too often to make valuable discoveries because 

 we look beyond simplicity. Intending builders may now con- 

 sider and make inquiries for themselves. 1 have stated all I 

 know at present. — K. Fish. 



MY PLANTS, 



AND HOW AND WHERE I I'OUND THEM.— Xo. 7. 

 Bcr shall I ever be forgiven for wandering so long from my 

 subject of " Plants," to toy amongst the animals and fish of 

 Jersey ? Let me at once refer to my notes and Imrtus siccm, 

 and see what were the results of a day spent at Greve de Lecq, 

 in June, 1860. We had long heard of the charms of this 

 beautiful little bay, and determined upon judging for ourselveiJ 

 of the same, and we looked forward with much pleasure to our 

 trip from St. Saviour's to the north-western coast of the island. 

 Rising early and pacldng up our basket of provisions for the 

 day's need, we started off in a small pony carriage, which had 

 been kindly lent us for the occasion. The sun was shining 

 brightly jWlideed, it was one of those gorgeous mornings which, 

 all radiant with the sun's smiles at their birth, so often ere half 

 his race be run, leave us in soitow and tears. Foreseeing 

 i what was likely to occur, we fully provided for the impending 

 rain, and safely packed our waterproofs and umbrellas at the 

 bottom of the conveyance, forming impromptu seats for the 

 two children, very unaristocratic no doubt, and quite uncon- 

 ventional ! But bear with us awhile, good reader, for we are 

 unconventional people, and ours are unconventional children, 

 and I may state, that during our return home the horse 

 became unconventional enough to run away. 



Our drive was chiefly through narrow lanes, for we were 

 travelling li-om east to west, and the principal roads in the 

 island run from south to north. The orchards were white 

 with blossoms, fainting in the heat of the mid-day, soon a 

 breeze sprang up, and like a shower of suow in summer, the 

 petals fell thickly upon the green gi-ass. Enjoying the iucreaB- 

 ing coolness of the air, and pleased that the beautiful blossoms 

 we were watching, and the lowly flowers by the wayside, would 

 alike soon be equally refreshed, we urged our pony forward at 

 a quick pace. Large and heavily fell the tardy rain-di-ops, the 

 branches of the trees waved to and fro in grateful acknowledge- 

 ment of the coming benefits ; all nature seemed stirred, like 

 children who. having received a promise of some long-looked- 

 for gift from a parent, are now about to realise the fulfilment 

 of their wishes. Passing St. John's Church we were not long 

 in arriving at St. Mary's. As we did so, the rain poured down 

 in torrents, and continued all the time we were descending the 

 lovely valley which leads to the b.ay. Much to our disappoint- 

 ment, we scarcely saw anything of the banks on either side of 

 us ; therefore, an old lustorian shall take you through the 

 defile. He says — " On quitting St. Mary's Church we soon 

 enter a romantic valley, serpentining between lofty swelling 

 hills richly clothed with Fern and other wild shrubs, that, if 

 less profitable to the owners of the gritty soil than the golden 

 treasm-es of Ceres or the juicy gifts of Pomona, display a lively 

 verdure on which the eye rests with pleasure. The vaUey is 

 likewise shaded in different parts with gi-oves of Oak and Fir. 

 At length the winding path descends rapidly to a beautiful 

 I cove called Greve de Lecq. This inlet in its fuU compass may 

 : be said to reach from the promontory of Sorel to that of Ple- 

 mout." Just as we reached the bottom of the valley the rain 

 ceased, and closing our umbrellas the ftill beauty of the little 

 bay stood out in the simshine ; I thought it one of the most 

 lovely spots we had visited. 



Putting up oiu- horse at the hotel, and drying ourselves and 



the children, we started off to the beach. My husband cUmbed 



! the almost perpendicular cUffs to obtain a good view seaward, 



j whilst I was searching the sands for Grasses. I had no sea- 



