VISITS TO COUNTRY PLACES. 



indebted for much valuable informntion on fruits, and for the introduction of many 



new variotios. Tlic orchard lioiisc is for ])rofcction from severe spring frosts, such 

 as wo liuve had of hite years. !Mr. Kivcrs's first houses were erected aj^ainst some 

 old yew edges, which formed the hack, and these houses were found to answer 

 their purpose to a certain extent, in the cultivation of the more hardy fruits, such 

 as plums, «tc. ; but Mr. R.'s later erections arc constructed with boarded sides. 

 The first cost of such houses certainly would not be much, but 1 think they will 

 eventually be found dearer than ])ro]>erly built brick and mortar walls. Most 

 orchard houses hitherto erected, arc without any healing apparatus, which I also 

 think is false economy; for the plants in such structures must naturally be for- 

 warder than those out of doors, and the frost has much power in a house of this 

 sort, if means arc not taken to keep it out ; but it must be borne in mind, that or- 

 chard houses are a new invention, and far from that perfection which we may expect 

 they will ultimately reach. My idea of a good house is, that it should be built 

 span-roofed (say twenty feet wide), and as long as the proprietor pleases. The 

 height from the ground to the eaves should be about six feet, the lower three feet 

 of which should be of brick, and the upper of glazed sashes, made to open, for 

 the purpose of ventilation. A three-feet border, in which trees may be placed, 

 might run round the house ; and the path should be three feet wide, which would 

 leave eight feet for the centre border. The flue, or hot-water pipe, should be 

 jilaced on or in the path. It has been the practice, hitherto, to grow the trees in 

 l)ots, several nurserymen having prepared many trees well furnished with bloom 

 buds for that purpose, and thus secured a crop of fruit the first year ; but how 

 this method will succeed, is at present a matter of uncertainty. For my part, I 

 am very doubtful of its propriety, as I fear the trees will not continue to produce 

 good crops many years, if grown in pots, while, if planted in the borders, success 

 would be certain, as they may be kept dwarf by proper pruning, and removing 

 and root-pruning every two or three years, which might be done without at all 

 injuring them. Another means of keeping the trees dwarf, is the proper selection 

 of stocks to work the different fruits on, as, for instance, the Pear on the Quince, 

 the Apple on the Paradise, the Cherry on the Mahaleb, and the Plum on the 

 Black Thorn. Most fruits may be successfully grown in an orchard house, in- 

 cluding Apples, Pears, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apricots, Grapes, Figs, and 

 Strawberries, besides what may be had in the way of choice flowers and vegeta- 

 bles ; and thus it will be seen that the amateur possessing one of these structures, 

 may command a good variety of fine fruits at but little expense. With regard to 

 the management of the orchard house, every attention must be paid to proper 

 ventilation, which is most essential, and provision must be made for admitting air 

 both I)y the side and top lights. If the side lights can be all removed, sufiicient 

 air may be given without allowing cold draughts, by keeping them closed on the 

 side the wind would enter. Watering must also receive due attention, as the trees 

 might be soon damaged either by an excess of moisture or the want of it. An- 

 other important point is to keep the trees properly pruned and the fruit properly 

 thinned, removing all that is not required as soon as it is set, before it begins to 

 damage the trees. 



YISITS TO COUNTRY PLACES. — NO. 12. 

 AROUND BALTIMORE. 



Dr. Thomas Edmondson, who has paid the debt of nature since we were there, 

 ssed a collection of plants which had few (if any) competitors for variety 

 value in this country. His collection has been sold, in one lot, to Mr. W" 



