CHAPTER XVIII. 



Horticultural Implements, Appliances, &c. 



JPART altogether from modes of culture, we may effect 

 considerable improvement, neatness, and economy in our 

 gardens by adopting several articles described in this 

 chapter, and I would earnestly draw the attention of both profes- 

 sional and amateur gardeners to their claims. 



The Cloche. — This, which is simply a large and cheap bell- 

 glass, is used in every French garden that I have seen, and it is the 

 cloche which enables the French market 

 gardeners to excel all others in the produc- 

 tion of winter and spring salads. Acres of 

 them may be seen in the market gardens 

 around Paris, and private gardens have 

 them in proportion to their extent — from 

 Fig. 74. the small garden of the amateur with a 



few dozen or scores, to the large garden 

 where they require several hundreds or thousands of them. They 

 are about sixteen inches high, and the same in diameter of base, 

 and cost about a franc a piece, or a penny or two less if bought in 

 quantity. As the " moonist" of poor Artemus Ward failed with 

 his moon, so my artist has failed with the cloche, but in another 

 direction — he has made it too ornamental, given it an elegant rim. 



