G L A 



251 



G L A 



unfruitful, the sap being expended in 

 tiieir production which should have 

 been appropriated to the formation of 

 fruit. 



GLASS-CASES are of various kinds. 



time will, I believe, not only secure 

 their ripening well every year in the 

 midland counties, but also that such 

 advantage will be available in the 

 north of England, where grapes never 



One is formed of glazed wooden frames, ripen on the open walls." 



fitting together, to protect espaliers, 

 wall-trees, or shrubs too large to be 

 covered with a hand-glass. 



Another glass-case is made for pro- 

 tecting a single branch. It is thus de- 

 scribed by Mr. Maund, the author of inside the glass, it is only necessary to 



Lastly, there is the Wardian-rase 

 to cover plants growing in rooms, 

 preserving to them uniform moisture 

 and excluding dust. To prevent the 

 dew which is occasionally deposited 



Fig. 56. 



that most useful periodical 

 the Botanic Garden : — 



" Although my experi- 

 ment is not yet com- 

 pleted, I cannot omit 

 mentioning to you its 

 success. Grapes grown 

 on open walls in the 

 midland counties are 

 rarely well - ripened ; 

 therefore this year I pro- 

 vided a small glazed 

 frame, a sort of narrow 

 hand-glass, of the shape 

 shown in the annexed 

 outline, to fix against the 

 wall, and inclose one 

 branch of the vine with 

 its fruit and foliage. 

 "The open part, which rests against 

 the wall, is thirteen inches wide, and 

 may be of any length required to take 

 in the fruit. The sides are formed of 

 single panes of glass, seven inches 

 wide, and meet on a bar which may j 

 represent the ridge of a roof, the ends 

 inclosed by triangular boards, and hav- 

 ing a notch to admit the branch. This 

 was fixed on the branch a month be- | 

 fore the vine came into flower. The 

 consequence was, the protected ' 

 branches flowered a week earlier than j 

 the exposed. The frame was not 

 fitted closely to the wall, but in some 

 places may have been a quarter of an 

 inch from it. The lateral branches ! 

 being shortened before it was fixed, it 

 did not require removal even for prun- ' 

 ing, because I adopt the long-rod mode 

 of training, which is peculiarly adapted 

 to mv partial protection system. The 

 temperature within the frame is always 

 bit^her than without, sometimes at mid- 

 day even from 20" to 30". 



" By this simple protection I find 

 grapes may be ripened from three 

 weeks to a month earlier than when 

 wholly exposed, and this saving of 



open the case frequently, for a few 

 minutes, to render the temperature 



Fig. 57. 



Fig. 58. 



