Horticultural Implements, Appliances, etc. 267 



Most undoubtedly the principle is better and cheaper than our own. 

 We employ large and well-made frames in private gardens, and for 

 the most part place them so that all but the base is exposed to the 

 influence of the weather, and the plants therein are more liable to 

 changes of temperature and cold. By having the frames narrow, 

 all the sidework rough and cheap, and the frames placed in close 

 lines, we get tlie greatest amount of heat at the smallest cost. By 

 having nothing but the surface of the glass exposed, nothing is 

 lost, and when the frames are covered by the neat, warm, and 

 flexible straw mats above described, they are as snug as could be 

 desired. When it is simply desired to preserve bedding plants, &c., 

 through the winter in frames, the spaces between the rough-sided 

 frames are merely filled up with leaves and slightly heating mate- 

 rial, as shown in my figure ; but where used for forcing, the manure 



Fig. 83. 



is of course placed underneath the frames also. About two feet of 

 space is left between each frame, or just enough for the convenience 

 of the workmen. Generally they seemed to me to be put together 

 by the workmen of the market gardens : two stout posts being 

 driven firmly in at one end, and an end-board nailed to them. Then 

 at every four feet or so minor posts are driven down, and the rough 

 front and back-boards nailed to them. The cropping of these 

 frames is dense and excellent, as is the case with the market garden 

 cropping generally. 



Glazing Glasshouses. — In the matter of glasshouses we have 

 little or nothing to learn from the French beyond what is displayed 

 at La Muette. A great variety of houses were shown at the Ex- 

 position, all of iron, usually neatly and well built, occasionally 

 elegant, but offering very little which is worthy of adoption. The 



