A COMBINED METALLIC SUPPORT AND LABEL FOR TRAINING, SUPPORTING, REMOVING, AND TRANSPLANTING FLOWERS OR TREES IN GARDENS, OR GREEN OR HOT-HOUSES, OR FOR OTHER HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Ferdinand Potts at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th March
1859.
I, FERDINAND POTTS, of the firm of F. Potts & Co., Tube Manufacturers,
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention for "A COMBINED METALLIC SUPPORT AND LABEL FOR TRAINING,
SUPPORTING, REMOVING, AND TRANSPLANTING FLOWERS OR TREES IN GARDENS, OR
GREEN OR HOT-HOUSES, OR FOR OTHER HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the construction of sticks for supporting and
training flowers, such sticks being used either singly or combined, and in
connection with such sticks I purpose applying a suitable flattened part at tho
top, either plain or ornamental, on which I purpose the name of the plant
to be written or otherwise placed, the stick part being short or long, according
to the nature of the plant or tree it may be required to name or support. In
carrying out this Invention I form my sticks of thin sheet iron, drawn into a
tubular form, which form admits of the shank of the label or name-piece to
be readily pushed in it, as also a small cast-iron or otherwise formed nose pieco
at the bottom end. Sticks and labels thus formed and combined I purpose
finishing by what is called galvanizing, namely, by immersing them in molten
zinc, which will have the effect not only of soldering the seam or junction
of the iron of which the sticks or support is formed, but also soldering in the
label or name piece at the top and the nose piece at the bottom. I have

page_text: described the mode of construction for the purpose of showing that, instead of
soldering in a solid nose or foot bit in such tubular sticks, I sometimes apply
to this part a curved pointed blade of sheet iron or steel, resembling much the
appearance of a small hollow pointed shovel, and by combining two of them
together by a suitable connection, an hollow cone is formed, which may be
applied each side of a growing flower or plant, and united by the handles
or supports, when the said plant or flower may be removed and replanted
without in any way disturbing tho soil in which it is growing; the tubular part
forming a support to the plant or shrub during the time of transplanting, and
which combined support may be allowed to remain until the tree or plant has
thoroughly overcome the effect, if any, of its removal. As such transplanters
and supports will admit of flowers or plants being taken great distances, or to
remain a long time without replanting, without sustaining any of little injury,
and the tubular construction of my supports enables me also with great facility
to increase their number, or to diversify their form and character, as, by using
suitablo sockets, lateral arms and vertical supports may be applied, so as to
form many supports surrounding a centro one, or supports may be joined
together without a centro one; in all cases I purpose terminating the upper
or outer part of the tube or tubes with some simple ornament or label plate,
and in all cases forming and constructing the soveral parts that they may be
mainly held together by the process of galvanizing, over which paint may bo
added, or otherwise, as desired, or in some instances the label part may
be suitably enamelled, and the name may be casted on and painted and burnt
in, or written on by the user as required.