186 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



parts of the garden where there are plants that 

 would require to be frequently watered in the 

 absence of rain. It is best to get good stout 

 hose of as large a bore as can conveniently be 

 used. The wire-armoured hose is economical 

 where it has to be dragged about much. When 

 not in use it should be kept on a reel in a dry 

 shed. An excellent labour-saving invention is 



one known as the "Irrigator". It consists of 

 several lengths of iron pipes, an inch or so in 

 diameter, connected by short pieces of hose, and 

 supported on pairs of wheels. The pipes are 

 perforated with small holes. It is connected 

 with the water-pipes by means of a length of 

 hose, and the spray of water can be so regu- 

 lated that a constant steady shower falls on the 



Fig. 226.— Royle's Tap-union. 



Fig. 224 —Lawn Sprinkler. 



Fig. 225.— Ball-nozzle Sprinkler. 



plants, (fee. It can be left until the ground has 

 had a thorough soaking, and then moved to 

 another place. For watering large trees or 

 beds which have become very dry this con- 

 trivance is specially valuable. It is in constant 

 use during the summer at Kew. The Lawn- 

 Spvinkler (fig. 224) is useful for watering flower- 

 beds, &c, or even as a substitute for a fountain. 

 The Ball-nozzle Sprinkler (fig. 225) is an equally 

 useful appliance, throwing out a spray similar 

 to that shown in fig. 224. Royle's Tap-union 

 (fig. 226) is a simple and excellent rubber con- 

 trivance for slipping on to taps instead of the 

 cumbrous and often leaky screw-nozzle. 



Watering Engines. — Of these there are many 

 kinds used in gardens, some being hand-engines, 

 and others barrow-engines. They are now made 

 to act on the principle of the force-pump, that 



is, a cylinder or pump barrel is fitted with a 

 piston; on this being drawn up a vacuum is 

 produced, and the water in which the lower end 

 of the cylinder is immersed, is pressed upon by 

 the atmosphere and driven up into the cylinder, 

 which is thus filled with water as far as the 

 piston is raised. A valve at the bottom of the 

 pump barrel prevents the water from returning 

 into the tank. A communication with a side 

 vessel is closed by a valve at its base, and the 

 side vessel is closed air-tight round a tube reach- 

 ing nearly to its bottom. On the piston being 

 pressed down the water forces open the valve 

 of the adjoining vessel, in which it consequently 

 rises by every downward stroke of the piston, 

 and covers the lower end of the tube. When 

 this takes place, the free egress of the air in the 

 top of the vessel is cut off, and it is compressed 



