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Willesden Paper and Canvas

For making temporary shelters where light is not necessary, the Paper and Canvas manufactured by the Willesden Paper Company possess all the requisite properties; being fairly cheap, they may be freely used for light coverings of any kind. The Paper is quite waterproof, light, and of fair tensile strength, as anyone who saw the pavilion erected in the grounds of the Crystal Palace, during the exhibition of 1884, will have noticed; except that visitors had cut the Paper about, the edifice was as sound nine months after erection as when first put up. A tank was also exhibited, which held about half a ton of water, the Paper not being saturated for quite two months; and no doubt it would have been sound for the whole time the exhibition lasted, but that some mischievous person stuck a knife through the side, to see if it was really Paper. These examples will show that the Paper will answer what is required of it, and therefore all that is left is to describe the manner of using it for garden purposes. The stout brown Paper is the best for general use. It is made about 4 1/2ft. wide, a useful size for temporary roofs, and for screens to put over frames or plants. So far as roofs are concerned, the makers give full directions, and therefore this part of the subject need not be considered here. The most useful appliances in any garden, for providing temporary shelter, are a number of frames about 6ft. long and the width of the paper. The woodwork should be about. 1 1/2in. in thickness, and should be braced across to keep the whole structure rigid. Over these frames the Paper should be nailed, preferably on both sides; thoroughly waterproof coverings, which will keep off a fair amount of frost, are thus made for protecting tender subjects in frames or beds, while for outdoor Mushroom-beds they are most convenient. Being flat and comparatively thin, a large number can be stowed away in a little space, when not required for active use. For wall trees of doubtful hardiness, the prepared Canvas, if put on frames, makes a good protective medium when the shelters are made as above, and, having more tensile strength than the Paper, will not be torn with any ordinary usage.

Besides being made into flat screens, wooden frames of different patterns, such as spans, and similar forms, can be constructed in light wooden framing, and covered with Willesden Paper, affording very decent protection against frost and snow to plants of doubtful hardiness in the borders. Larger frames can also be made for the protection of shrubs, &c. In all cases the Paper can be adapted to almost any form required, and a little ingenuity on the part of the user will lead to the construction of many most useful contrivances. The lighter samples can also be used for packing plants; being waterproof, they prevent undue evaporation. For lining baskets containing cut flowers or plants, the Paper should be found very useful, as it can be made to fit the shape of the basket or hamper, and will last for a long time. Many things, such as hard-wooded cuttings, rose-buds, and similar stock, can be rolled in the Paper, the ends being folded over, and they will travel as well as in lead foil or rubber tissue, and at less cost. Waterproof labels, for writing on which no special ink is required, are also made of Willesden Paper; these are durable, and, being made in various sizes, are useful for many purposes. In fact, there is practically no end to the purposes to which this Paper can be applied in and about the garden.