Horticultural Implements, Appliances, etc. 25 1 



and rendered it altogether too good-looking. The form in common 

 use is almost straight sided and somewhat conical. In reply to 

 numerous correspondents who have written inquiring about this 

 cheap bell-glass, I have to state that the English dealers have not 

 got them, nor are they likely to procure them, getting as they do 

 several times the price for the bell-glasses in common use with us 

 for indoor propagation, &c. But, nevertheless, I trust that the 

 cloches will not' be kept in the background for that, as they are re- 

 markably cheap, and as useful for. indoor or any other propagation 

 as the very costly articles now in vogue with us — apart from their 

 use in salad growing, &c. Messrs. Vilmorin, the well-known 

 seed merchants of Paris, have obliged me with the address of a 

 person who supplies them — Rouchonnat jeune, 75, Rue du Fau- 

 bourg St. Antoine. He offers them at 8_5 francs per 100, if more 

 than 500 are taken; smaller quantities at 90 francs per 100 — i.e. 

 at the rate of about ninepence each. The cloches are packed 

 by twenties, four francs being charged for the package; but the 

 vendor will not be responsible for breakage in transit. The advan- 

 tages of the cloche axe. — it never requires any repairs ; it is easy of 

 carriage when carefully packed (one inside the other in a rough 

 frame made for the purpose) ; by carefully handling, one is very 

 rarely broken in the Paris market gardens — level as a billiard-table 

 and without a leaf out of its place ; they are easily cleaned — a swill in 

 a tank and a wipe of a wad of hay every autumn clears and prepares 

 them for their winter work. They are useful in many ways besides 

 salad growing ; for example, in advancing various crops in spring, 

 raising seedlings and striking cuttings : and finally, they are cheap. 

 A thousand of them may be bought for 40/., or less in France, and 

 with good management these would soon more than repay the cul- 

 tivator. But of course it is only in market gardens that they would 

 be required in such quantities as that, and in some small gardens not 

 more than a few dozen will be wanted. Every garden should be 

 furnished with them according to its size; and when we get used to 

 them and learn how very useful they are for many things, from the 

 full developing of a Christmas rose to the forwarding of herbs, and 



