192 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



between the two sides can be filled with water, 

 and thus the withdrawal of moisture from the 

 soil by evaporation from the sides of the pot 

 is prevented. But the same object is usually 

 effected by placing one pot within another of a 



Fig. 244.— Warne's Plant and Orchid Protector. 



size or two larger, and stuffing the space be- 

 tween them with moss. 



Flower-pots vary much in quality, according 

 to the clay of which they are made, and the 

 amount of burning they may receive. If soft 

 — that is, slack burned — they absorb moisture 

 too freely, become dirty frequently, soon getting 

 coated with moss, and are, moreover, easily 

 broken. On the other hand, some are too hard 

 and brittle, and also break easily. 



Shallow pots and pans, the latter either 

 square or round, of various sizes, are used in 

 propagating. Square-oblong, about 10 inches 

 by 7 inches, are certainly best for propagating 

 purposes, economizing the space in the various 

 positions where placed. 



Eartlwnware Saucers or Flats are made of 

 different sizes, to suit those of the pots which 

 are placed in them. Glazed saucers for plants 

 in rooms are sometimes made, and are prefer- 

 able because they do not allow the water to 

 pass through and cause damp on whatever they 

 may be set. 



The Blanching Pot (fig. 243, g, h) is used for 

 blanching Sea -kale, Rhubarb, &c. It is an 

 earthenware pot which is made in various 

 shapes, and has a top which may be removed, 

 so that the fitness of the vegetable for use may 

 be ascertained without lifting the whole pot. 

 Frequently common garden pots, with the hole 

 in the bottom covered with a piece of slate or 

 flat tile, are substituted for blanching pots, and 

 answer the purpose very well. 



Plant Boxes or l J ubs are used for growing 

 Orange -trees and other plants of large size. 

 They should be made of well -seasoned pine, 

 oak, or teak, the price varying according to the 

 material, teak being dearest. A useful plant 

 tub, durable and cheap, may be made from a 

 disused beer-cask, which a brewer will sell for 

 a few shillings. This, when cut down about 

 one-fourth, the other end pierced, and painted 



green or brown, serves very well for large 

 plants in a conservatory. Slate is also some- 

 times used. Slate boxes possess the advan- 

 tages of great durability, and of being easily 

 kept clean and free from insects, to which they 

 do not afford so many lurking-places as the 

 wooden ones. They are, however, not as good 

 for many plants as those made of wood. The 

 orange-tree boxes used at Versailles are conical 

 and made of oak; the bottoms are pierced with 

 holes to allow the water to pass away; two of 

 the sides are fixed, the others are movable; 

 and each of the movable sides is kept in its 

 place by iron bars, one end of which turns on 

 a bolt, whilst the other lies in a hasp, and may 

 be lifted up when the side is to be taken out. 

 These boxes last for fifteen or twenty years, 

 and in them are growing trees 30 feet in height 

 with stems 39 inches in circumference, and said 

 to be upwards of 300 years old. 



M'Intosh's Plant-box (fig. 245) has a neater 

 appearance than the preceding; and all its sides 

 being movable, it offers greater facilities for 



Fig. 245.— M'Intosh's Plant-box. 



removing the trees, examining their roots, re- 

 placing old soil with fresh, &c. Two of the 

 sides being hinged to the bottom, may be opened 

 down by lifting up the iron bars; the others, 



Fig. 246.— Bound Tub, showing alternative form of Handles. 



which are not hinged, but lift up, may then be 

 easily removed. 



Round tubs made of pine, oak, or teak, after 

 the style of that shown in fig. 246, are best for 



