POTTING STAGE OR BENCH. 



393 



PRIMULA. 



a sufficient supply of potting materials for 

 immediate use, such as silver sand, peat, 

 loam, cocoanut fibre, crocks, &c., &c. 

 Rough boxes, such as those in which tinned 

 lobster and salmon and Swiss milk are sent 

 to this country, will answer the purpose as 

 well and better than those made by a 

 carpenter, because they cost little, and can 

 be renewed at pleasure. All that is neces- 

 sary is to put up a framework to suit the 

 size and to furnish, runners on which the 

 boxes may be drawn out and pushed in as 

 required. Of course, contrivances of this 

 kind must be suited to the space at com- 

 mand. When much potting is done out 

 of doors, as will be the case sometimes, 

 especially when there is no potting shed, 

 or when it is more convenient to do what 

 has to be done at some distance from the 

 potting shed, it is desirable to have a 

 portable bench on which the work can be 

 conveniently carried out. It will be more 

 convenient, perhaps, if this bench is made 

 so that it can be taken to pieces and put 

 together again quickly and without much 

 trouble. The first thing to be done is to 

 make a couple of strong trestles, as shown 

 in the end elevation of the bench at A in 

 the accompanying illustration. These may 

 consist of two uprights of inch stuff with 

 transverse rails screwed to them on the 

 inside of the uprights, the upper rail flush 

 with the top of the upright, and the lower 

 one about 6 inches above the lower ends of 

 them. This is all as far as the trestles are 

 concerned. Next, a board or shelf must 

 be provided about 1 5 inches wide and 3 feet 

 6 inches long, or, at all events, about 

 2 inches wider than the width of the 

 trestles. To the back of this a narrow 

 piece of wood must be nailed, and two 

 broader pieces at the sides, as shown in 

 the illustration. This must be placed on 

 top of the trestles, and the broad side 

 pieces screwed to the top of the uprights 

 as shown. Stability may be given to the 



bench by screwing on two diagonal pieces 

 to the trestles, one in front and one behind, 

 as shown at B, which exhibits the front 

 elevation. A bench thus made will be 

 found to be firm and stable. It requires 

 only eight screws to hold it together ; and 

 the various component parts, five in 

 number, namely, the shelf or top, the two 

 trestles, and the two diagonal pieces, may 

 be put together or taken apart in a very 

 few minutes. When not in use they can 

 be put away in any spare corner. 



Prices of Hoes. 



The prices of hoes of different kinds are 

 as follows, according to the width of the 

 tool from point to point of the cutting 

 edge in inches, and in solid cast steel : 



These prices do not include handles, which 

 are supplied at from 8d. to is., according 

 to size of hoe. Halfmoon hoes, whether 

 short-necked, long-necked, or Bury, are 

 sold at the above prices according to 

 sizes as given. Round-prong hoes, with 

 4-feet ash handles, are sold at 2s. with 

 three prongs, 2s. 6d. with four prongs, 

 and 35. 6d. with five prongs. Spuds and 

 weed hooks are supplied at 7d. each, 2 

 inches wide; 8d., 2.\ inches; and iod., 3 

 inches ; but if handles are required 7d. 

 must be added to each of these prices. 



Pri'milla (nat. ord. Primula'cese). 



This genus is a very large one, including, 

 as it does, some of the most popular 

 florists' flowers, viz., the auricula, the 



