1 02 Notes and Gleajiings. 



• 

 petunias, and similar flowers. These are planted in beds dug out of the smooth 

 turf that surrounds them, each kind planted by itself; and, as it seems to me, 

 in this way are shown to the greatest advantage. I remember, that in one of the 

 earlier numbers of his magazine, when probably a different habit prevailed, Mr. 

 Loudon recommended a somewhat similar course ; that is, he expressed the 

 opinion, that, to make them most effective in gardens for the purpose of orna- 

 ment, each kind of flower should be planted by itself, and that each flower-bed 

 should be occupied by the same flower. It is many years since I read the article 

 referred to, and my recollection of it may be at fault ; yet this, as I now remem- 

 ber, was its substance. At the time, I was accustomed to the old-fashioned 

 method of planting flowers in borders promiscuously, — here, perhaps, a white 

 campanula, and there a blue monk'shood ; here a red lychnis, and there a blue 

 delphinum ; with, perhaps, a crimson paeony and yellow primrose between. I was 

 not prepared to accept this opinion of Mr. Loudon, thinking there would be too 

 much sameness in acting in accordance therewith, and that the variety caused 

 by the old method was more pleasing to the eye. If I had not before been led to 

 doubt the correctness of the opinion then entertained, I think a view of the mode 

 followed in England, of ornamenting pleasure-grounds, and arranging flower- 

 beds, would have cured me of the error : but this was unnecessary ; for I have 

 long been convinced of the mistake, and brought to believe that Mr. Loudon 

 had ample ground.s for the opinion. Planted thus in beds, on grass, the brilliant 

 hues of the flowers make, with broad spaces of the green grass always kept 

 smoothly and closely mowed, a contrast pleasing to the eye ; and the broad mass 

 of their color is rendered much more effective than would be that of single 

 plants. Joseph S. Cabot. 



Dec. I, 1867 



Double-Glazing. — Any one who enters a greenhouse on a cold winter's 

 night is impressed by the contrast within and without. An eighth of an inch 

 thickness of glass separates and protects tropical luxuriance from arctic cold. 

 When the house is long and wide, it really is surprising that this thin non-conduct- 

 ing surface can do its work so well. When the temperature is kept up to fifty 

 degrees, or over, the glass is more or less free from frost ; but, at lower degrees of 

 temperature, the coating of hoar-frost which gatliers upon the glass is a great 

 protection, closing the crevices, and also doubling or trebling the thickness 

 which separates the inner and outer air. This frozen moisture on the glass, 

 often as light as snow, is the saving of many a house from freezing. But the 

 advantage of this protection is more than counterbalanced by the excessive drip 

 of the day following. By double-glazing, we can avoid this drip. It is a matter 

 of surprise that so few houses have this double protection, especially since our 

 winters are so much more severe than in the old country. Indeed, there are so 

 few examples, that it is scarcely known whether the plan is desirable ; and there 

 are many who condemn it in theory. I think it due to the public to give my 

 own experience. 



I have a greenhouse, now twelve years old, a lean-to, on a hill-side, which is 

 a hundred feet long and thirty-six feet wide, or about three times as wide as 



