HOME GARDENS FOR SMOKY TOWXS. 293 



side ration ; the difference stated by Mr. Williams, of about five de- 

 grees in winter, in many cases would be just enough to save the life 

 of a plant. Practical gardeners knew the value of placing a covering 

 over a peach-tree in early spring to keep off the frosts, and also to 

 protect it from the attacks of birds. It was also a curious fact that 

 even a slip of wood or slate a few inches wide, put on the top of a 

 wall to which a fruit tree was nailed, acted as a protection from frost. 

 He trusted that Mr. Williams' idea would find favor among the work- 

 ing-classes, and thought it was a subject the Koyal Horticultural 

 Society might well take up and offer prizes for. He hoped in a short 

 time, when that Society had passed through a crisis which was im- 

 pending, it might emerge in a condition to devote attention to this 

 matter. It already offered prizes for small suburban flower-shows, 

 but had not yet turned its attention to the larger class aimed at by 

 Mr. Williams. 



Mr. Botly said he had forgotten to mention that he had a friend, a 

 very excellent gardener, who always loosened his fruit trees from the 

 wall for about three weeks before the time of blooming. The conse- 

 quence was, they did not get so much heat from the wall, and the 

 bloom was two or three weeks later in forming. After the spring 

 frosts, the trees were again nailed up close, and he never failed in 

 getting an excellent crop, when his neighbors often had none. 



Mi\ Trewby wished to caution those who read the paper against 

 using what was commonly known as paperhangers' canvas, because 

 it was made of two materials, hemp and jute, and if a piece of it were 

 put into water it would soon be nothing but a lot of strings, the jute 

 being all dissolved. It did very well for paper-hanging, but would be 

 quite unsuitable for this purpose.* 



The vote of thanks having been passed 



Mr. Williams, in reply, said he had had a piece of this canvas 

 stretched on a frame exposed all the winter, and the only result was 

 to make it rather dirty.' He stretched it as tightly as he could in 

 putting it on, but when it got wet it became still more tight, and 

 gave a little again on becoming dry. It bore the weight of the snow 

 which had fallen very well, and two or three spadefuls had been 

 added to try it. He had a note from Mr. Prim, saying that at the 

 Houses of Parliament the screens last about two sessions, being 

 washed once a week, and the destruction is due to the wringing. 

 But there is really no occasion for this, for if you syringe the stuff 

 well from the inside, you make it sufficiently clear to allow the air 

 and light to pass through and it would probably last many years. 

 He had tried the experiment of dipping it in a very weak solution of 

 tar, but this had the effect of matting together the fine filaments, so 

 that it did not act so effectually as a strainer. It acted best when. 

 wet, because the fine particles of soot adhered to it, and moist 

 weather was jnst the time when the greatest quantity of soot fell. It 

 might, be easily tried in London sqiiares to aid in the growth of 

 flowers ; he found that the cabbage plants which were so protected 

 throve remarkably well, and he had no doubt that if flowers were 

 planted and a screen put over them until they were ready to bloom, 



* I have followed np Mr. Trewby's hint, and find that more than one quality of 

 scrim is made. The best, made entirely of flax, costs rather more than the Z^d. 

 stated in the estimate, but it is the cheapest practically. The best I have eeeii is 

 that used in the Houses of Parliament. 



