AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 511 
Orchard House—continued. 
rate when so favoured, the trees should be discarded in 
favour of others that are more certain to fulfil expecta- 
tions, and repay the extra attention afforded. The Orchard 
House and its uses having been so far explained, a refer- 
ence may now be made to its size and shape, and to the 
general cultivation and treatment of the various fruit- 
trees worthy of being included amongst its occupants. 
Size and Shape. These are points affecting each 
other somewhat considerably, so much depending on 
requirements, and the extent to which it is desirable 
or possible to adopt the system of fruit culture under 
notice. The form of structure best adapted is the span 
roof, as it affords a full amount of light to trees on all 
sides, and due provision can be made for the admission 
and free circulation of air, both at top and bottom-—in the 
first place, by means of lifting a portion of roof at the 
apex, and, in the second, by the opening of upright sashes, 
Orchard House—continued 
trees are grown in pots; a larger number may thus be 
accommodated in a given space than would be possible 
if they were planted out, and their portability allows them 
to be removed wherever desired, and to be placed up 
together in the winter. Planted-out trees do not require 
attention so frequently in watering; and, although this 
is an advantage, they are not so much under the com- 
mand of the cultivators as if they were movable and 
their roots restricted. Pot-trees, on the other hand, 
depend very materially, for success or failure, on the 
attention given to watering. On an extensive scale, this 
means an enormous amount of work during the summer, 
as watering becomes necessary twice or thrice in a day. 
Manuring, by the application of a top-dressing of some 
rich compost and liquid manure, is also most essential 
in summer, in order to sustain health and fertility. It 
should be practised soon after the young fruits are set, 
and again when the second swelling begins. 
In the case of Peaches or Nectarines, a top- 
dressing should be composed of some rich manure 
and good loam in equal quantities; this should, 
if possible, be saturated with some liquid manure 
a few days previous to being used. Horse- 
droppings have proved an excellent ingredient 
for such composts, and so also has malt-dust. 
The mixture should be laid on the surface of 
the other soil to a depth of about 4in., and 
the inner part towards the tree left hollow 
for receiving the water supplied and preventing 
FIG. 761, SPAN-ROOFED ORCHARD HOUSE, 
situated above the side walls (see Fig. 761) or weather- 
boarding—the latter being sometimes substituted in lien 
of walls. In many Orchard Houses, only a little top 
ventilation is given in proportion to the quantity of air 
required, but there must be some to cause a free cir- 
culation about the trees. Airing is mainly conducted 
by means of side sashes, or by some method of venti- 
lation situated near the ground line. Proportionate 
sizes for a rather large span-roofed Orchard House 
would be 50ft. long by about 24ft. wide, and from 
12ft. to 15ft. high from the floor line to the apex; 
the height at the sides should be 6ft. This would 
admit of either a central or a side path arrangement 
inside. If a centre path were desired, beds could 
be formed on either side, for planting trees in or 
for standing them on, if grown in pots. A bed in 
the middle admits of more head-room for trees; but, in 
a house of the dimensions given above, a much better 
‘arrangement seems to be that of having a straight, 
neat path, made of gravel, from one end door to the 
other, a bed or border being on either side, then 
another narrow path for workmen to attend to water- 
ing, &c., and, finally, a border for dwarf trees round 
next the side sashes, and at the ends. Smaller 
span-roofed Houses, or those of another shape, would 
require a different arrangement; but these are, so far, 
only matters of taste, depending on the number and 
size of trees to be cultivated. Excellent fruits, par- 
ticularly of Peaches and Nectarines, have been obtained 
from lean-to or half-span Orchard Houses; but these 
shapes do not admit of much head-room for trees in 
pots. The system of culture is of more importance 
than the form of house, yet the latter is of material 
help to the former; and the span-roof, having several 
points in its favour over any other shape, is, conse- 
quently, the one recommended. 
Trees in Pots and Planted Out. Orchard Houses, in 
which it is desired to grow a variety of fruit-trees 
during spring and summer only, are best managed if the 
it from running away. Fruit-trees in pots 
require to be kept very nearly dry at the roots 
during winter, as, although the latter are 
seldom or never altogether at rest, they need 
being kept from undue excitement at this 
season. . If the roots are kept saturated with water, 
ripening of the wood is but improperly effected, and, 
consequently, on the return of spring, many blos- 
soms are imperfectly developed that would have been 
pushed forth had a system of withholding water in 
winter been practised. In the case of trees in large 
pots, especially of Apricots, Nectarines, and Peaches, 
there is seldom any necessity for watering at all between 
the beginning of November and the beginning of March, 
when the flower-buds will begin to swell or expand. It 
has already been stated that a sheltered place outside, 
in favourable parts of the country, will do, with proper 
coverings, for the winter, yet, for several reasons, Orchard- 
house trees are best kept under glass, if space can be 
afforded them in a structure where fire-heat is not allowed. 
Exposure to severe weather is ruinous to them. The 
pots would require a covering of bracken or dry litter 
all the same, to prevent their being burst by frost, 
should it be severe enough to reach them. Pot culture, 
in an Orchard House, has also another advantage, inas- 
much as a greater variety can be grown in a given space, 
and if any sorts are found unworthy of having special 
treatment afforded to bring their fruit to perfection, 
they can readily be discarded, and their space re-occupied 
by other pot-trees of superior merit. It is most im- 
portant that no roots be allowed to pass through the 
bottom and establish themselves in a border; conse- 
quently, provision should be made for preventing this, by 
placing two bricks together, and standing the pots on them, 
Potting, or re-potting, of Orchard-house trees should be 
attended to soon after the fruits are gathered, and before 
the leaves drop. A large heap of soil should be prepared 
beforehand, where there is much to be done, and allowed, 
after being well mixed, to remain for a few days—or 
weeks, for that matter. It should be composed of about 
two-thirds loam, rather tenacious preferred, the other 
portion being well-decomposed manure. To this may 
be added, with advantage, some sifted brick and mortar - 
rubbish, or chalk, particularly for stone fruits, and 
