The Garden Under Glass

GLOSSARY 355 insect pests without injury to the plants. Remarks on the subject are given on page 247. Grease-band.—A band of thick grease-proof paper tied round the stem of a fruit-tree and coated with grease which does not readily dry. This is put on to prevent certain female insects from crawling up and depositing their eggs in the branches of the tree. It is not usually necessary in the case of indoor fruit-trees, though a grease-band will often prevent the approach of ants, which are very troublesome to ripe peaches and necfarines. Handlight.—This serves the same purpose as a bell-glass or cloche (which see), though it is larger and of a different shape. Usually it is square in shape, with a top formed in the shape of a double spån. When water-tight and fairly air-tight these appliances are very useful for seed-sowing, for rooting cuttings and for forwarding small plants. Harden.'—To harden off plants means to gradually accustom them to outdoor conditions after they have been for some time in a heated structure. Useful remarks on how to do this will be found on page 265. Heating Material.—Beyond hot-water pipes and flues we have the means of heating known as a hotbed. The material used for this is stable littér and tree leaves, and these are known as heating material. Remarks on making a hotbed will be found on page 193. Heel.—When it is advised to take a cutting with a heel of the old wood it is meant that a small slice of the old wood is taken off and trimmed. This is done when there is a diffi-culty in rooting cuttings on the young wood. With a piece of the old wood attached there is not the same loss of sap or danger from the cutting flagging as there would be if only the soft young wood were used. Taking cuttings with a heel is only necessary with difficult subjects. Hip-roofed.—A vinery or plant house is called a hip-roofed structure, or a three-quarter spån, when there is a wall at the back and a short length of glass leading from it upwards and