MACHINES USED IN HORTICULTURE. Ill 



bell-glasses. The tile base absorbs and stores up the sun's heat in the 

 daytime, to be liberated during the night. The protectors are likewise 

 made to lie closely to the ground, and are readily covered over in very 

 severe weather. An excellent substitute for hand-glasses will be de- 

 scribed under the section on structures. 



Powdering-boxes for plants are required for dusting them with 

 powdered lime, sulphur, coarse snuff, powdered charcoal, fine sand, 

 &c. One of the most convenient forms is that of the common dredge- 

 box, but for the light powders an appendage to be hereafter described 

 may be added to the common bellows. All powders intended to rest 

 on the leaves of plants should be dusted over them when they are 

 moist with dew, or by having been previously watered. 



We have omitted to mention some other utensils used in very 

 extensive gardens, botanic gardens, and nurseries ; such as the glazed 

 packing-box ; the earthenware shelter, which may be described as an 

 inverted flower-pot, with the sides perforated with holes, or with a 

 large opening on one side ; plant-shades of various kinds ; bulb- 

 glasses ; cast-iron pots for burning tobacco ; and a few other articles 

 not in general use, or readily substituted by others of a more simple 

 and economical kind. 



Machines used in Horticulture. 



Machines differ from other horticultural implements in being less 

 simple in their construction, and in their action enabling the operator 

 to abridge labour. The principal gardening machines are the mowing- 

 machine, water-carts, wheelbarrow, roller, watering-engines, garden- 

 bellows, and transporting or transplanting machines. 



The mowing-machine is indispensable in every garden. There 

 are many kinds, but most of them are made on the same principle, 

 and only differ in form and their mode of motion and delivery. The 

 machine was originally modelled on the plan of the engine for shearing 

 woollen cloth down to the required closeness of nap. By imparting 

 rapid motion to 4, 6, or 8 bent knives, set at the proper angle on a 

 round spindle, and bringing them into close contact with a steel 

 plate that is carried close to the turf, the rapid revolution of these 

 knives clips off all the grass between them and the plate, and lifts it 

 into a receiving-box at the same instant, leaving the lawn short and 

 smooth as a carpet. These machines have almost banished scythes 

 from the garden, and are to be found everywhere. They are made of 

 all sizes, from 10 inches to 4 feet in width, and are used by ladies as 

 healthy exercise, while the larger ones are hard work for a full-sized 

 horse. On their first introduction it was supposed that they could 

 only cut the grass when it was dry, and where the surface was per- 

 fectly level. But they are now used in all weathers, and on all kinds 

 of surfaces, with tolerable efficiency, though the smoother the ground 

 the more perfectly they do their work. The chief makers are the 

 Messrs. Shanks of Arbroath, Messrs, liansome, Green, Brown, Milburn 

 and Williams. 



