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ON A NEW BELL-GLASS FOE CUTTINGS. 



At a season of the year when cuttings of most plants will succeed with but little 

 trouble, some notice of an improved bell-glass that we have devised, may not be 

 unacceptable to our readers. 



A majority of the plants usually cultivated in the open garden or window will, 

 in favourable seasons and situations, strike without the aid of any covering, although 

 there are few which will not emit roots sooner when protected, than when exposed 

 to those agencies by which transpiration is accelerated. 



Cuttings taken in a young state, before any of the fibres have become woody, will 

 generally require the aid of a bell-glass, whilst, if allowed to remain upon the parent 

 plant until this change has partially taken place, they will succeed without such 

 protection. There are many plants, however, which will protrude roots only in the 

 herbaceous state, and for which a cutting -glass is at all times indispensable. For 

 these purposes it is not unusual to employ any glass vessel, incapacitated for further 

 domestic service ; and for all ordinary horticultural uses, these are as effectual as any 

 thing that could be devised, especially if care be taken to wipe the interior of the 

 glass frequently, to prevent the air contained in it from becoming too damp. It 

 not unfrequently happens, however, that from various causes, this precaution is 

 neglected, and the cuttings ' damp off,' a circumstance of frequent occurrence 

 with amateur gardeners, and not altogether unknown to professional ones. 



With a view to obviate this objection to the ordinary bell-glass, we have devised 

 one with a porous top, of well hardened plaster of Paris, from the permeability of 

 which the accumulation of moisture within the glass, is effectually prevented. 



If a simple cylinder of glass, open at both ends, could be obtained, nothing would 

 be easier than its conversion to the purpose we have proposed. It would suffice to 

 mix a little plaster of Paris with water, to the consistency of cream, and to pour it 

 into the cylinder, which should be placed upon a perfectly flat surface, to the depth 

 of two or three-eighths of an inch ; when upon the solidification of the plaster, one 

 end of the cylinder would be thus closed with a material permeable both to air and 

 moisture, and if well dried before use, of considerable permanence. These cylin- 

 ders could certainly be constructed at a very small cost, and instead of plaster, any 

 kind of porous material might be employed to close the end ; coarse unglazed 

 earthenware would have a great superiority over the plaster in point of durability. 



Of the great advantage that would arise from the employment of a glass con- 

 structed on the principle now pointed out, we entertain not the smallest doubt, 

 and can only hope, that these hints may induce some manufacturer to turn his 

 attention to the subject. 



