THE GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8673, 13 July 1906, Page 1

THE GARDEN.

NOTES.

An instrument named the pagoscope, whose purpose is to give the cultivator timely notice of the approach of f rest is in use in a Melbourne nursery. It is the invention of a French gentleman, M. Bernet-Bourette. The apparatus consists of a dry and of a wet bulb thermometer attached to a plate of zinc, ' wheron are inscribed certain figures in lines on either side, and one in a horizontal or curved line near the bop, representing thermome'tric degrees. There is aleo a needle which serves as an index. The plate itself is marked with three bands or stripes of colour— green, yellow, and red, the yellow stripe being relatively narrow. The thermometric scale represented is the centigrade. To us who measure heat by the Fahrenheit .scale, it would be more convenient if the" latter system were adopted. When it is desired to use the instrument, the temperature of the wet bulb thermometer on the right hand side is first of all noted. Let us suppose it is between sdeg and 6deg, then the index is moved eo> that its point becomes placed between odeg and 6deg on the curved line of figures at the upper part of the instrument ; then the temperature of the dry bulb thermometer on the left side, is read off; let ue suppose it is between 7deg and Bdeg. Having ascertained thi®, the finger-tip 6hould be run along the horizontal line corresponding to that'-temperaiure till its meets the index or needle. If the point where the horizontal. lines comes into contact with the index is situated on the portion of the plate coloured green, there is no fear of _ the occurrence of frost; if the junction point is in the yellow band, the frost is likely to ocour, at any rate it would be prudent to take precautions; lastly, if the point of contact of the horizontal line with the index happens to- fall within the red band, frost is absolutely certain to follow. The pagoscope is patented ; it is procurable in Melbourne, but the one under notice was imported direot from Europe.