Note 4 — Chapter V

Hand-Glasses—Portable frames or covers, formed of iron, zinc, or wood, and glazed. These glasses differ from bell-glasses in being longer and composed of numerous small pieces of glass, which are fastened together by narrow strips of lead. Hand-glasses are generally square; but they may be made of an octagon, or any other shape that may be found most convenient; and they are sometimes made with a pane to open to admit air, or with the upper part to take off. This is very convenient; for as hand-glasses are chiefly used for protecting half-hardy plants during winter, it is necessary to give them air every fine day, and it is very troublesome to be obliged to lift the hand-glass off the plant, and to lay it on one side, whenever this is done. Bell-glasses, on the contrary, being principally for preventing the evaporation of moisture from the leaves of cuttings, do not require any opening, as the plants seldom want any air till they have rooted.—Mrs. Loudon’s Ladies’ Companion for the Flower Garden.