MATS FOR COVERING PITS AND FRAMES. 



571 



thicker than three-quarters of an inch when finished. The 

 stitches must not be wider than three-quarters of an inch, 

 and be worked as follows (see F of the figure). Take a 

 little of the straw with the left hand, and work the reel 

 with the right, first over the straw, then over the bended 

 string, coming back underneath, and swiftly passing it 

 between the two strings, pulling tightly and pressing 

 the straw, so as to have a flat stitch, and not thicker than 

 three-quarters of an inch at the most. The same operation 

 is repeated until the mat is finished. The machine described 

 has been at work for the last twenty years in our nursery, 

 at Paris, and is still as good as new. An ordinary workman 

 may make daily from thirty to forty yards run of these 

 straw mats with 



ft" Fig. 324. 



All new or 

 strange things of 

 this sort are adopt- 

 ed slowly by hor- 

 ticulturists ; but 

 that they would 

 immediately use 

 this, if they had 

 an opportunity of 

 seeing it in work- 

 ing order, I have 

 no doubt; and I 

 hope yet to see it 



in general use in British gardens. In France these mats are 

 found so useful that they are employed for many purposes 

 besides that of covering frames, and they even form a very 

 effective temporary coping for walls in some cases. I 

 doubt very much if anything I can say for them will give a 

 full idea of their utility. In all gardens where men are regu- 

 larly employed they may be made during bad weather in 

 winter j and as there is often a difficulty about procuring 

 enough of useful indoor work for men at such times, 

 the making of these mats will be a gain from that point of 

 view alone. In country places, where straw is abundant, 



Straw mat (paillasson) used for covering frames. 



