120 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ MAY, 
roof with wood, such as is not always seen the second year, the supernumeraries being heavily 
fruited annually. 
- J0on’t cut Asparagus when intended for home use, but let it grow to 
the height of six or eight inches, and then break it off at the proper length ; it is 
brittle as an icicle. It is true, it has no handle ; but what is so gathered can all 
be eaten, which is more than can be said for the article sold in the markets. 
- ®he Messrs. Collinge and Son, of Manchester, have sent us samples of 
some very excellent Horticultural Shading and Protecting Materials. The fabric 
is of cotton, and very strong, though somewhat loosely woven, the threads being 
so disposed as to form square meshes or open spaces, like the meshes of a sieve, varying from 
squares of about --inch width in both directions, to parallelograms of about half that width or 
less in the transverse direction. The latter fabrics will form excellent protecting materials for 
wall trees against spring frosts, while the different samples are also exceedingly well adapted for 
shading greenhouses, the amount of shade, of course, varying with the closeness of the fabric ; 
and also for protecting fruits or seed-beds. 
- have before us a Patent Seminator and Sulphur at or, invented by 
M. Drechsler. It consists of a tin canister, made in various sizes, with a movable 
top, which by twisting can be opened and closed at pleasure, or set open to any 
extent. On the top of this fits a cap pierced with holes forming 
a sieve, and sieves of two or three degrees of fineness may be 
had with each canister. It may be used as a seed-sower with or 
without the sieve-cap ; when provided with the cap, it becomes 
a dredge, and may be used with facility for the distribution of 
sulphur, of snuff, of tobacco-powder, &c. 
It is, in fact, a very simple and very use¬ 
ful little implement. The same inventor 
has also submitted to our notice a very 
ingenious contrivance, which he calls a 
Patent Movable Spring , for improving 
the cutting of Garden Shears. Its effect 
Is to press the cutting edges of the shears together, so that this strain upon the muscles being 
removed, there is more freedom of motion. It consists of a peculiarly bent iron hook, one 
end of which is fitted into the handle on one side, while on the other handle is a stout india- 
rubber ring, which, when the shears are in use, is pulled over the opposite end of the hook. It 
can be applied to any shears, and removed again in a few seconds, and very much facilitates the 
working of them, its special object being to press the blades together so as to ensure a cleaner cut. 
Drechsler’s Seminator and 
SULPHURATOR. 
- 3Jn the Heatherside Rival Cucumber we have the nearest approach to a 
model yet seen. It is of fair length, from 15 in. to 18 in., and about li in. in 
diameter, perfectly uniform in thickness from the stalk to the very tip. There is no 
long neck or handle ; the surface is smooth, of a dull green colour, with a sprinkling of small, 
distantly set black spines. The flesh is exceedingly film, of excellent flavour, while the core 
or seed part does not exceed one-third the diameter of the fruit. It is said to be a prodigious 
bearer, and adapted for either summer or winter fruiting. 
-Gilbert, of Burghley, writes in relation to the Fruit Prospects of 
the present year :— u I am glad to be able to report that we are again favoured 
with a capital show of all kinds of fruit, as yet uninjured. Apricots, to which 
we have over 500 feet of wall devoted, are now set thickly, protected by old fish-netting. 
Peaches appear safe. Plums are quite a sheet of blossom, while Pears on west walls are also 
full. Indeed, all kinds of fruit look very promising. 
©fcttuarg* 
- ffilR. W. B. Page died at Southampton on April 12, at the age of 81. 
Mr. Page was in his younger days well known as a landscape gardener, and as 
having one of the most flourishing nursery establishments in the South of England. 
