Improvements in or relating to Garden Pots, Troughs, Packing Boxes, and other Articles Applicable for Holding, Forcing, Propagating, or Protecting Plants, Cuttings, or Seed, or for Packing the same for Transit.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left. 21st Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 21st Sept., 1888
Improvements in or relating to Garden Pots, Troughs, Packing
Boxes, and other Articles Applicable for Holding, Forcing,
Propagating, or Protecting Plants, Cuttings, or Seed, or for
Packing the same for Transit.
I PHILIP HENRY BRACHER of West Hill, Wincanton in the County of Somerset,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention partly relates to the construction of garden pots and other articles
applicable for holding plants with sufficient earth for their growth. The invention
is, however, not confined to the above, as it is applicable to protectors for
shielding plants or excluding vermin, for rhubarb and seakale forcing, for celery
and leck growing, for the early raising of crops, for packing plants, etcetera for
transit, and for various other purposes.,
In carrying out the invention, I construct garden pots of perforated metal, such as
zinc, galvanized iron, or other metal, or of woven wire, or wire gauze or the like.
The pots may be constructed of any desired shape or size, and may be turned over at
one end to form a bottom. I prefer, however, to close the bottom of the vessel by a
solid or perforated plate or by wire gauze. One end of the sides of the pot may
be turned over so as to form a shoulder or stop, against which the said plate will rest,
said shoulder prevents the bottom from falling through, but admits of it being with-
drawn from the top. Pots constructed in this way provide excellent ventilation, do
not permit excess of moisture, but retain sufficient for the growth of the plant. They
are unbreakable, are very light, and can be rapidly manufactured. The movable
bottoms above described, provide excellent drainage, and the pots need no gravel or
broken pottery as in the case of earthenware pots.
Troughs and the like, applicable to window gardening, may be constructed of
similar material, far surpassing the untidy burnt clay pots, besides being of far less
weight, easy to pack, and costing considerably less for carriage.

page_text: The perforated metal or gauze vessels of cylinders are applicable for packing plants
for transit. For this purpose I propose to make metal covers divided in two with a
hole in the middle, these to be constructed so as not to slip out of place, when by
inverting a similar pot over the plant, the cover keeps the soil in place, and the
inverted pot preserves the plant from harm. These, when fastened by a slip joint,
may be packed in crates with safety.
For rhubarb and seakale forcing, I propose to make a double wire, or preferably
metal cylinder, the space between the two being filled with peat litter, straw or
manure, and I contend that this method is cheaper, takes less time than the usual
method, and when protection is no longer needed the cage can be instantly removed.
As plant protectors, I construct a dome or cover of perforated metal or gauze,
which I find is lighter, not liable to he broken, will give sufficient light, and if made
with a groove at the top will surpass the ordinary hand glasses for excluding snails,
etcetera they may be made single or double as above described.
For celery and leck growing, special cylinders will be made to prevent the soil
getting to the "stick" when earthing up." For trees in orchard houses they will
be especially useful, and for plunging, the roots may either he allowed to grow
through the holes, or trimmed off.
For propagating, where cuttings are placed in these pots, and plunged in the hot
bed, either heat or moisture can be rapidly imbibed, and the pots lifted from time to
time for examination as to roots, etcetera. No excess of moisture can be retained in
them, neither will the moisture be lacking.
In fact, the invention may be advantageously extended almost without limit for
the early raising of crops, for example, rows of peas may be sown in perforated
metal troughs, and plunged in the open ground when the warm weather arrives.
Very early potatoes may also be grown this way too.
I also in many cases protect these metallic structures with a peculiar preservative
coating or paint formed of solid hydrocarbon gum insoluble in water or the like
dissolved in a volatile solvent.
Dated this 18th day of Nov 18SS
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Garden Pots, Troughs, Packing
Boxes, and other Articles Applicable for Holding, Forcing,
Propagating, or Protecting Plants, Cuttings, or Seed, or for
Packing the same for Transit.
I, PHILIP HENRY BRACHER of West Hill, Wincanton, in the County of Somerset,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :—
The invention partly relates to the construction of garden pots and other articles
applicable for holding plants with sufficient earth for their growth. The invention is,
liowever, not confined to the above, as it is applicable to protectors for shielding
plants or excluding vermin therefrom, for rhubarb and seakale forcing, for celery and
leck growing, for the early raising of crops, or it may be applied to receptacles for
packing plants, etcetera, for transit, or to various other purposes.
The drawings show a few of the various ways in which the invention may be
applied.
Figure 1 is a section of a garden pot of the usual truncated conical shape.
Figure 2 shows a shallow rectangular trough, and
Figure 3 a circular pan both of which are applicable to the growing of ferns,
seedlings, etcetera.
Figure 4 shows a double cylindrical vessel applicable to the forcing of rhubarb,
seakale, etcetera.
Figure 4 shows a modification of Figure 4.
Figure 5 shows an elongated cylinder adapted to be employed in the culture of
celery, leeks, etcetera.
Figure 6 shows a plant protector and vermin excluder.
Figure 7 shows a way in which the invention may be applied to the packing of
plants for transit.
Figure 8 shows an out door forcing or cucumber frame.
I preferably construct the garden pots and other articles embraced by my invention,
of perforated metal, such as zinc, galvanized iron, or other suitable metal, or they may
be constructed of woven wire, or wire gauze, or the like. The pots may be constructed
of any desired shape or size, and in small pots the sides may simply be turned over
at one end to form a bottom. I prefer, however, to close the bottom of the pot by a
solid or perforated plate A, Figure 1, or by a piece of wire gauze. These plate
bottoms are preferably dished as shown, in order to afford better drainage when the
bottoms are solid, and increased strength when they are perforated. One end of the
sides of the pot may be turned inwards, so as to form a shoulder or stop a, against
which the said plate will rest. The said shoulder prevents the bottom from falling
through, but adimits of it being withdrawn from the top. The top edges of the pots

page_text: are preferably turned outwards, and "wired" as shown at a¹, Figure 1. In large
pots the inturned edges a are also wired. This wiring greatly increases the strength
and rigidity of the pots. The sides of the pots and other articles constructed in
accordance with my invention, can also be corrugated, if desired, to give additional
strength.
Pots constructed as above described, can be manufactured very rapidly. Being
unbreakable they are better adapted for transit, and being comparatively thin, and
only about one quarter the weight of earthenware pots, a large number can be packed
one within the other in a comparatively small space, whereby the cost of carriage is
considerably reduced. The pots also afford excellent ventilation to the roots, and do
not permit excess of moisture, while retaining sufficient for the growth of the plant.
The movable bottoms above described, provide excellent drainage, and the pots need
no gravel or broken pottery as in the case of earthenware pots. Either heat or
moisture can be rapidly imbibed by the roots or cuttings when the pots containing
them are plunged into the hot bed. While in the hot bed, the roots are encouraged
to penetrate the sides of the pots, which can be readily lifted for examination without
injury to the plant. Having loose bottoms, the operation of re-potting is greatly
facilitated, as the bottom is simply pushed up with the soil, and the roots where they
may have penetrated the sides are drawn through the perforations without injury.
The metal bottom is then removed, leaving the ball undisturbed, and the roots in a
position to immediately penetrate the surrounding soil.
Troughs, pans, and the like, such as are shown in Figures 2 and 3, and are
especially applicable to window gardening, may be constructed of similar material.
They far surpass the untidy earthenware pots in appearance besides being of less
weight, easier to pack, and costing considerably less for carriage.
For rhubarb and seakale forcing, I propose to make a double perforated metal or
wire gauze cylinder or truncated cone B, Figures 4 and 4ª, the space between the
two being filled as shown with peat-litter, straw, or manure. This method is. cheaper,
takes less time than the usual method, and when protection is no longer needed the
cage or cylinder can be instantly removed.
For celery and leek growing, special elongated cylinders, such as shown in Figure 5,
(or truncated cones) are made to prevent the soil getting to the stick when
earthing up."
"
"
In applying this invention to plant protectors I construct a dome or cover of
perforated metal or gauze, such as shown in Figure 6, which 1 find is lighter and
cheaper than the ordinary glass domes, and less liable to be broken, while at the same
time it will give sufficient light and ventilation for the proper growth of the plant.
It will exclude snails and other vermin from the plant, and protect it from heavy
rains. The protector may be provided with a suitable handle or handles C, and it
may be made single or double as above described.
The above-described perforated metal or gauze vessels or cylinders are also
applicable for packing plants for transit. One way in which this may be carried
into effect as regards the ordinary shaped pots is shown in Figure 7. 1 make metal
covers D divided in two with a hole d in the middle. These are constructed so as
not to slip out of place. Small tongues d¹, for instance, may be formed on their
edges, and may be turned over the edge of the pot. A similar pot as shown in dotted
lines, is inverted over the plant. The cover keeps the soil in place, and the inverted
pot preserves the plant from harm. The pots, when suitably fastened or tied together,
may be packed in crates with safety.
The invention may be advantageously extended almost without limit for the early
raising of crops. For example, rows of peas may be sown in perforated metal troughs,
and plunged in the open ground when the warm weather arrives, the roots readily
passing through the perforations into the surrounding soil. Very early potatoes may
also be grown in this way.
The invention is also applicable to out-door frames for growing cucumbers, etcetera,
or for forcing or protecting seedlings, etcetera. A convenient form or frame is shown
in Figure 8. The bottom E is of perforated sheet metal or wire gauze, and the

page_text: sides E are also made of the same material up to the surface e of the soil. Above
this point the sides e' may be constructed of wood or other suitable material. This
arrangement ensures perfect drainage and ventilation to the roots. The top light E³
(shown detached) may be constructed entirely of perforated metal or wire gauze,
or partly of metal and partly of glass. This affords good ventilation to the plants
while protecting them from the wind, heavy showers, and vermin.
Perforated sheet metal or wire gauze may also with advantage be employed as
protectors for green-houses or conservatories. The sheets being placed below or
within the glass, the latter could be opened or removed, without the danger of the
plants being injured by the wind or heavy showers, or by vermin, such as snails, which
could otherwise enter at the open window.
The above described perforated structures may be employed for growing trees in
orchard houses, or as hanging baskets for flowers, orchids, ferns, etcetera, or as wall
brackets for ferns, etcetera. The perforated pots of ordinary shape may be converted
into hanging baskets by simply attaching wires, chains, or cords to their upper edges.
I also in many cases protect these metallic structures with a peculiar preservative
coating or paint, consisting of a pure hard hydrocarbon such as paraffin wax or
mixture of hydrocarbons or a varnish gum or gums insoluble in water-dissolved in
a light spirit or hydrocarbon such as petroleum spirit or benzine and laid on with a
brush or by dipping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. As a new article of manufacture, a garden pot, plant protector, or similar
horticultural requisite, constructed mainly or wholly of perforated sheet metal or wire
gauze, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In a garden pot constructed of perforated sheet metal or wire gauze, a loose and
removable bottom such as A of solid or perforated sheet metal or wire gauze,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. As a means for packing plants for transit, the combination of a perforated
garden pot such as described, containing the plant, a divided covor such as Dattached
thereto, and having an orifice d for the plant stem, and a similar inverted perforated
pot enclosing the upper parts of the plant, and secured to the said cover or pot by
any suitable device, substantially as set forth.
4. The various horticultural requisites, each as a whole constructed substantially as
described and shown..
Dated this 20th day of August 1888
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.