PROCEEDINGS. XVll 



'' Hitlierto," says Mr. Roberts, " it has been a com- 

 plaint with all gardeners that they cannot keep the 

 fruit free from dirt in wet weather ; I purpose by my 

 method to prevent complaints in future, and at the same 

 V time to succour the plants and improve the quality of the 

 fruit, by means of my Double Tile and Socket, which, 

 when placed around tlie plant, will keep it free from dirt, 

 shade the surrounding earth from the sun, thereby causing 

 it to require less water, and preventing the growth of weeds. 

 The heat absorbed by day will nourish the plant at nitjht, 

 and tend to produce fruit much finer and earlier. The 

 tiles are placed on feet to allow the wet to run vmder them ; 

 and should the plants grow so large as to overhang the tiles, 

 they can be kept in their places by means of a small socket. 

 The expense is so trivial, compared with the durability and 

 saving of labour, that I am induced to hope that every 

 grower of strawberries who wishes to have fine clean fruit 

 will avail himself of the tiles. 



" Celery can be grown in the highest state of perfection by 

 means of the tiles and sockets, which sockets are made from 

 4 inches to 2 feet high ; the celery by the same means, 

 therefore, will require no eartliing up, and will be quite 

 free from dirt, and beautifully white. Lettuce, likewise, is 

 much improved in size and quality with less labour than 

 usual. Plants also, which have a tendency to ramble, can 

 be confined within the required limits, and the different 

 kinds much improved by means of tiles suitably made ; and 

 sucli flowers and plants as grow high, and require to be tied 

 up, can be more readily supported, and more economically 

 attended to, by my improved flower supporter, than any 

 other means (durability and labour considered). The im- 

 provement consists in the supporter being divided into two 

 halves or parts, enabling the gardener to place it round a 

 flower instead of over it, thereby preventing breakage. The 

 same kind of supporter is adapted for hyacinths ; it can be 

 applied at any stage of growtii, and the hyacinth can be 

 removed from the glass without injury," 



Novelties from the Society's Gardex. A pale variety of 

 Gesnera Douglasii, and a healthy well-flowered specimen of 

 Sericographis Ghiesbreghtiana. This latter promises fair 

 to become one of our very handsomest winter flowering 

 stove plants, the deep green leaves setting off" the bright 

 scarlet flowers, which remain long in perfection, to advan- 

 tasre. 



