Catalogue of Works on Gardening, fyc. 29 



" The frames are formed of thin slips of wood, like pantile laths, or poles, 

 similarly constructed to the roof of a house or an archway, ten feet long, by 

 three and a half to four or five wide, and two and a half to three feet high, with 

 two panels made to open on one side with hinges. 



" The bottom of the frame is made of slight wood-work, in which the small 

 cross rafters are fixed a foot apart, either^in a ridge form or arched ; and across 

 these small rafters, pack-thread or strong twine is placed along the frame 

 lengthways, putting it round each rafter about a foot apart, and others drawn 

 across the bed between the rafters, crossing or intersecting the other lines, 

 which will serve to strengthen the rafters, and assist in supporting the paper ; 

 then take some strong white demy paper, and paste on the rafters in a regular 

 and neat manner, and when dry, brush the paper all over with linseed oil ; this 

 may be done with a soft painting brush, using the oil on the outside only, and 

 that but lightly ; when this has become thoroughly dry, the frames will be fit 

 for use. 



" Although the oiled paper will be sufficiently water-proof to resist the rain, 

 and keep off the cold, it will form an agreeable shade for the plants, during 

 the scorching rays of the sun in the height of summer, and through which pro- 

 tection the plants thrive exceedingly, and produce good crops of fruit, from the 

 end of July till the beginning of October. After the frame has been placed 

 over the plants, admit air every fine day by opening the side panels of the 

 frame, or if no panels were made to open, raise the frame a few inches at 

 bottom, and, as occasion may require, give moderate waterings when the earth- 

 is dry, but be very moderate while the fruit is setting and ripening, for the 

 reasons assigned for early crops. 



" I may here remark that in very heavy rains or hail storms, which sometimes 

 occur in the height of summer, it will be advantageous to spread mats over 

 the frames, not only to preserve them from damage, but also to defend the bed 

 as much as possible in very unfavourable weather ; and, by proper attention 

 to growing late melons by this practice, not only fine crops are obtained, but 

 the fruit (which for the most part will ripen in August and September) will 

 also be of very good flavour. When melons are wanted for mangoes, they 

 should be gathered while green, about a quarter or half grown, and should be 

 taken from the late crops, selecting those which are not likely to ripen." 



To give an idea of the author's scientific views, we quote what he says on 

 the influence of the stock on the scion : — 



" Various are the opinions respecting the influence the stock will have on the 

 scion, or graft : many persons (for want of sufficient practice), to this day 

 suppose the stock will affect the scion, and consequently the fruit produced 

 from the tree grafted on a stock whose fruit is different ; but during my practice 

 I never have known, in any instance, the fruit to become altered through the 

 stock it was grafted on. In order to illustrate this fact as clearly as possible, I 

 will give my general opinion on the subject. 



" It is necessary sometimes to convey our ideas (particularly in writing, where 

 it is subject to every criticism) as plainly as possible ; I shall therefore com- 

 mence from the seed of the stock. 



" In the first place, when the seed first appears (say the crab), its spear grows 

 downwards (the same by a common bean or pea), perhaps two inches before 

 we see the green seed leaf above ground ; this shows that the fund of vegetable 

 matter above ground must be filtered through the root, for without the root 

 the tree cannot grow, but the root might exist for some time, although the 

 head was cut down ; I am therefore most decidedly of opinion, that the stock 

 in some degree partakes of the nature of the scion which is grafted on it ; for 

 if we look at the nature and constitution of a tree/^and from practice mark its 

 general progress, there cannot be an existing doubt, that the roots, veins, fibres, 

 or whatever they may be called, which strike from the scion into the stock, 

 must take root and run downwards, and that to the very extremity where the 

 sap flows : this I am further convinced of by putting the graft on the centre 

 of the stock instead of the side, for you always find them make a considerably 



