210 ORCHARDS. 



are three rows of frames, with two openings each, large enough 

 to admit drawers two feet nine inches wide and three inches 

 deep, making six drawers at each end. These drawers are 

 made with slats in the bottom an inch Avide and one sixteenth 

 of an inch apart. On the inside of the house there are three 

 pieces of laths three inches wide by one inch thick, built into 

 the wall on each end as far as the door will admit, so as to 

 support the inner end of the drawers ; they are just opposite 

 the lower edge of the frames that hold the drawers; there are 

 also strips that run from the frames to the laths to hold the 

 drawer and guide it as it runs in. Each drawer has two knobs 

 to draw it out with. The top frame that holds the drawer is 

 two rows of brick from the top and there is one row of brick 

 between the frames. On the top of the brick work is a frame 

 and tight floor, and on the floor is built a brick chimney for 

 stove-pipe. Over all is a good shingle roof put on as other 

 houses (where slate is convenient it would be better), and the 

 gables weatherboarded up. It has a good stove in the centre 

 of the house." 



The above is a description of Mr. Detrick's house ; but it 

 is probably better that the dry house be made of timber, and 

 made larger, where there is much fruit. It has been found 

 that the brick ones are rather damper thar^ the wood, and do 

 not dry fruit quite so well. Besides being larger, there should 

 be more space between the drawers, so that the hot air can 

 have free access. 



From what we know of dry houses we think the following 

 simple and cheap house would be as good as the best : 



Take four posts 4 or 6 inches square, and plank them to- 

 gether as if you were making a goods box, using dry inch 

 plank and making the joints tight. We would make it 12 

 feet by 10, and six feet high in front, and five behind — cover 

 it tight by laying the plank close, and break the joints with 

 narrow plank on top. Then bore holes in the sides of the 

 house and put poles across to hold the dryers, which may be 

 those commonly used to dry in the sun, making three or four 

 tier of poles on each side of the stove. The door should be 

 made in the high side and made tight. A house of this de- 



