Tumbledown Farm .9 Acres (give or take an acre or two)

CHAPTER VII
Cloches, Cloche-Carriers, and Pegs

CLOCHES, or bell-glasses, are used in great number. They protect the plants as well as the frames do. They admit more light, cost less in proportion, require no painting, and, save for the few that get broken, last for all time. They vary somewhat in size. Those in use at Mayland-which were imported from France and are of the standard size--measure 16 3/4in. across the base, are 15in. in height, and weigh from 5lb. to 5 1/2lb. each. The cost on rail in France was 96 francs per 104 (the four is allowance for breakage). The charges for carriage and carting came to 2 1/2d. per 100, bringing the cost to about 1s. each.

Cloches are now made in England, but at present they cost rather more than the imported ones. This, however, will probably soon be remedied.

The French cloches are made with a knob on the top, but the manufacturers remove these for convenience in packing and to prevent the burning of the plants, since the knob acts as a lens in the sunshine.

The first lot sent to Mayland was packed in cases containing about twenty-five each, and

Cloches, Cloche-Carriers, and Pegs 29

many were broken in transit. A second lot came, by our order, in cases of 200 each, and this time very few were broken. The first cases were just the size for two men easily to move and bump about, and, accordingly, the contents suffered damage. The second were large cases, which could only be lifted by machinery, and were thus spared the rough handling; in con­sequence the breakage fell short even of the allowance. Shippers should, however, be warned to pack carefully and tightly so as to admit no play amongst the contents.

The cloches are lifted by pressing a hand to each side, and they are carried about the garden on a contrivance called a "cloche­ carrier." This is a frame-work of wood, with handles for carrying it, and with a space in the middle for the workman to stand in. It is made to carry twelve cloches, six in front and six behind, each six arranged three-and­ three, back-to-back. (See illustration.)

A "cloche-peg" is beside each cloche when the latter is in use. This peg is 1 ft. long, 1 in. wide, 3/8in. thick, is pointed at one end to push into the ground, and has notches cut at



2in. and 4in. from the top for the cloche to rest upon when it is tilted to give air to the plants beneath.

Nine cloches occupy the space of one light. They are generally used in masses by them-

30 French Gardening

selves, but are occasionally used to continue a line of frames.

When the cloches are not in use they are stacked away, five or six on top of each other, with a square of wood 2 1/2in. by 2 1/2in. by 1/2in. between, to prevent their touching. They should not be packed away on their sides, or else many will get broken or cracked through jarring, or through the freezing of the water that may collect in them.

When only slightly broken, they can be repaired by joining the parts with white lead, and running along the joint a strip of tape covered with white lead and gold size.