302 



JOTJEXAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AXD COTTAGE GAEDEXEE. 



[ April 18, I86S. 



of £oQ0 damage done to the glass in a garden, and believe 

 this has been exceeded in some other cases. 



Sine? the first intioduction of sheet glass, its manufacture 

 has certainly improved much in one respect — its surface 

 is more even and smooth than it was at first, when the 

 face of much of the glass that was then made presented 

 little else but a succession of convex lenses, which told 

 with destrnetivc effect on the plants underneath. These 

 defects have certainly been modified; I wish 1 could s.iy 

 the same of the little specks that show themselves in greater 

 or less number on all low-priced glass, and certainly do no 

 good. These specks are more common than of yore, and 

 tend much to detract firom the general character of sheet 

 glass. In regard to toughness, I fear no improvement 

 has taken place; on the contrary, I think it is not so 

 good. Possibly if our manufacturers were told of the defect 

 complained of by Mr. Pearson and others, they might im- 

 prove the article ; at all events there seems no reason to rest 

 satisfied with it as it is, and as its brittleness no doubt 

 arises Irom its imperfect annealing, it is not likely that an 

 improved mode of performing that process will much in- 

 crease the price. As the manufacture of sheet glass has of 

 late years vastly increased, some mode of furnishing a better 

 material may be looked for, provided the consumer do not 

 too rigidly insist on a low price being given for it. With 

 regard to the manufacture of sheet glass, I believe that 

 instead of being blown into a globe-shape when taken fi-om 

 the furnace, it is worked into a hollow cylinder, and while 

 in a somi-fluid or soft state, one side of the cylinder is slit 

 up, and I presume the ends cut ofi', and the glass sheet is 

 then opened out and flattened. This process, as will be 

 Been, must expand the inner side, but whether that affects the 

 temper of the glass or not after annealing is more than I can 

 say. A similar expansion of the inner side takes place in the 

 manufacture of crown glass, which is blown through a long ' 

 iron tube into a globular shape before a very hot file which 

 keeps the mass soft, and while in that state a hole is struck 

 in that part of the globe immediately opposite to the side ■ 

 where it is attached to the iron rod, and being held in front 

 of the fire and whirled round rapidly near to it the hole 

 enlarges, and the globe by degrees becomes compressed, '. 

 then basin-shaped, and as it continues to revolve it becomes 

 flatter, but is never quite flat, always being more or less 

 slightly saucer-shaped according to the dexterity of the j 

 workman who gives the finishing turn. This glass is then 

 broken from its fastening in the centre to the iron tube and 

 carried to an oven to cool gradually, the place where the 

 tube was attached to it forming the " bullions," that are j 

 sometimes used in stables and other places. I believe, how- 

 ever, that sheet glass has in a great measure superseded the ■ 

 old crown glass, except in cases where the glazier has the 

 privilege of supplying whatever kind he likes, and then the 

 greater ease with which crown glass is cut, especially for : 

 small squares, when its curved chai'acter does not matter 

 much, offers a great temptation to him ; but for all horticul- | 

 tnral structures sheet glass is so convenient that the old • 

 crown glass may be said to have fallen into disuse, except- { 

 ing for repairs to older buildings where it was originally 

 used, and where a thicker kind could not well be employed. 



Some years ago a description of rough plate glass was 

 strongly recommended by some as possessing qualifications 

 in which the sheet glass at that time was deficient, but it ; 

 has failed in some of the points aimed at, and is certainly [ 

 not so much used at the present day as it was six years ago. I 

 Its principal nurit is thickness, and, consequently, strength, 1 

 but though not so clear as its rival, it is not sullicieully 

 opaque to allow of uhading material being dispensed with in i 

 the case of plants in flower, wliich was set forth as one of its 

 merits, and in appearance it is far from equal to good sheet ■ 

 glass, and assuredly sooner becomes dirty. I have not had | 

 much experience with it myself, and my observations are i 

 based on what I have seen elsewhere. 1 hope, however, to 

 see a better class of plate glasii brought into use for horti- 

 cultural purposes than any yet offered to ns, clear, smooth, 

 and trannparent. or, when wanted, of any hue to suit the re- 

 quirements of plants. Plate glass of a good quality is cer- 

 tainly too dear for that purpose yet ; but it is not very 

 many yt^ars since it was double the price it now is, and 

 though much of the reduction in price is owing to the repeal 

 of the duly, it is not entirely due to that cause, and I hope 



to see other modes of manufacturing it, so as to present it 

 to us in a cheaper form. 



Connected with this subject is that of glazing, which cer- 

 tainly is also capable of further improvement, but I confess 

 that I am unable to offer any hints as to how that may be 

 effected. I look forward to putty being superseded by some 

 adaptation of india-rubber, or, perhaps, by squares of glass 

 m;\de to fit like pan-tiles, one edge overlapping the other. 



In conclusion, I must again express a hope that some 

 manufacturer of glass will throw some light on the com- 

 plaints so justly made against sheet glass, and at the same 

 time point out a remedy. This, it is to be hoped, will 

 not jirove an expensive one, as the increasing demand for 

 glass houses renders the cheapness of the material they are 

 glazed with an indispensable consideration ; but if greater 

 efficiency can be attained at only a trifling increase of ex- 

 pense, then let no one begrudge that outlay. — J. EoBSO^■. 



LFCULIA GE-iTISSIUA CULTUEE. 



This, though commonly grown in a stove, is more pro- 

 perly a greenhouse plant, flourishing under the same con- 

 ditions as the Camellia, and making an admirable con- 

 servatory plant. Planted out in the conservatory border it 

 attains a large size, and has a very striking appearance 

 when covered with its extremely fragrant and beautiful flesh- 

 coloured blossoms, in November and onwards till spring. It 

 is also a good pot plant, and does well in "a sitting-room 

 when in flower. 



Presuming that it is to be planted out in a greenhouse or 

 conservatory border, the soil should be dug out to the depth 

 of 2 feet, and 2 or 3 feet in width ; then 6 inches of brickbats 

 or coarse rubble should be laid at the bottom, it being im- 

 portant to have perfect drainage, and this should be covered 

 with a layer of turf, grass side downwards, preference being 

 given to turfy heath mould firom a common, cuts inches thick. 

 Thus there will be space left for 15 inches of soil, but to 

 allow for settling, 18 inches should be put on ; it may con- 

 sist of one-third rather strong yellow loam, taken 3 inches 

 thick from a pasture, and laid in a heap for six months, or 

 it may be used fresh for border-making, but not for growing 

 plants in pots ; to this add two-thirds of sandy peat, also 

 taken off 3 inches thick, and from where the soil abounds in 

 particles of fine silicious sand. Chop up these materia 

 roughly with a spade, breaking and blending them together, 

 but on no account screening. It is well to form the border 

 when the soil is in a tolerably dry condition. A trellis 

 should be provided for the plant, and the situation ought to 

 be light and well ventilated, particularly during the early 

 autumn and winter months ; but when making new growths, 

 the Luculia, like the Camellia and Azalea, requires slight 

 shade. The best time to plant is early in spring. Select a 

 plant that has not become pot-bound, but one of free growth 

 and not more than a year old; a cutting of the previous 

 year will do. If an old plant is put in, the ball ought to be 

 broken and the roots spread out, the collar being elevated 

 rather than kept low in the soih 



After growth has commenced in spring, and during the 

 summer, the Luculia requires to be watered freely, but in 

 September the supply should be gradually diminished, untQ 

 the minimum is reached in the beginning of October. Aft«r 

 that period water sparingly, keeping the soil neither dry nor 

 wet, for in the latter case" the fibres of the roots are soon 

 injured and the buds fail to open, and a deficient supply of 

 moisture is attended with similar results, the leaves falling 

 as well. 



If in the first year the plant exhibit a tendency to become 

 bare of shoots, cut it in at planting, and stop during the 

 summer. This will induce the production of side-shoots. 

 Be careful not to overcrowd the plant, but train the shoots 

 in regularly, and so that light and air may be freely ad- 

 mitted to all parts. It will not flower much the first year, 

 nor, indeed, until the border become occupied with the 

 roots. In the second year it will grow vigorously, but the 

 shoots must not be shortened nor stopped except before 

 growth commences. Two years after planting, or in the 

 autumn of the second year, it will cover about 60 feet of 

 trellis, and in most cases flower freely, producing cymes of 

 flowers D, 7, or 10 inches in diameter. 



