97 
SIMPLIFICATION OF PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES 
IN OUT DOOR GARDENING. (R. Errington.) 
In consequence of the rapid advances made in horticulture, 
during the last few years, many gardening luxuries have been 
brought within the reach of the middle classes of society, which 
used to be confined almost exclusively to the domains of the 
nobility. This we conceive is in no slight degree attributable 
to our periodical gardening works. Such, in our time, are 
so numerous, that every week and month has its record — pre- 
pared, if we may use the expression, in the most digestive 
form. In many of these, sound practice is made to attemper 
theory ; whilst the latter elevates practice to a much higher 
level than it could possibly have attained without the aids of 
science. Thus, half an hour to a man of business, will gener- 
allj suffice to introduce him to a tolerably clear view of his 
subject of enquiry. 
Progression, therefore, must continue to be the maxim; and, 
for our own parts, we feel persuaded that even our labouring 
classes will, before many years have passed, be able to avail 
themselves of several of the little gardening comforts, now termed 
luxuries; more especially as the Potato disease still lurks around ; 
this, indeed, has already had the effect of diverting the course 
of cultivation somewhat out of its original channels. In the 
midst of all these improvements, however, we find little advance 
made in protective structures ; the energies of the age, as to 
gardening affairs, seem to have been chiefly directed to the 
building and heating of hothouses. By protective structures we 
here mean portable covers, or screens, which may be removed 
with facility to any part of the garden ; and which will either 
serve, without artificial warmth, to preserve half-hardy plants, 
to protect or accelerate vegetables, or even to be used for Cu- 
cumbers and iMelons, as the seasons come round. There are, 
however, a multitude of objects to which such portable and 
inexpensive affairs are a])plicable; and we shall take some 
pains to classify the objects, and show how a much improved 
system of the kind can be carried out. It becomes necessary, 
therefore, as a preliminary step, to show some objections which 
exist as to the old structures, such as the ordinary Melon frame, 
the various pits in use, hand-glasses, &c. 
289. AUCTAKIUM. 
