INTRODUCTION. 43 



from such casualties, yet they must not be de- 

 prived of the full air too long at a time, as this 

 would injure by enfeebling them. So much is 

 over-covering to be guarded against, that some 

 most inteUigent cultivators use only small -meshed 

 nets as a defence, which they maintain is suffi- 

 cient against every change of weather. 



When the flowers begin to show colour, pre- 

 parations must be made to erect the awning. 

 This is intended to shade them from the sun, and 

 shelter them from high winds. The frame should 

 be as light in its construction as is consistent 

 with its stability against blowing weather. It 

 is either a permanent erection of slender columns, 

 eaves-plate, rafters, and ridge-board, or a tem- 

 porary framing of similar scantlings, screw-bolted 

 together for the purpose. The former are pre- 

 ferred by the commercial florist ; the latter by 

 private growers. 



No directions need be given for a permanent 

 structure that any common carpenter can sup- 

 ply and execute. But for those who only need 

 a temporary thing of the kind, the following 



