Fruit Growing Under Glass 



By Wm. Turner, Superintendent M. C. Borden Estate, Oceanic, N. J. 



It is not my intention to go into details of culture in 

 fruit growing under glass, but rather to give a summary 

 and the benefits derived from this method of culture, 

 Suffice to say, that in most private establishments with 

 any pretensions to glass there is fortunately a part of the 

 range equipped for the production of fruit. Some will 

 make a specialty of peaches and nectarines ; others, grapes, 

 melons, strawberries, etc. Then again there are some 

 ranges throughout the coiuitry where accommodations 

 are provided for nearly all fruits that adapt themselves 

 to the forcing process. Speaking from many years of 

 experience along those lines, I may say, What is there 



A DELICIOUS PEAR. "M.\I)AME T." 



more interesting than a collection of fruit under glass, 

 particularly so when space is set aside for early mid- 

 season and late? One may then go around and enjoy the 

 sight of seeing the crops coming along in different stages 

 of maturity. There may be a few that would wonder at 

 the extravagance in producing fruit under glass, when 

 the southern product is assured so early in the season. 

 There is no denying the fact that the South is blessed with 

 a wonderful climate. However, when we sto]j to con- 

 sider, knowing the nature of fruits, particularly stone 

 fruits, we do know how to produce the sweet, luscious 

 flavor so desirable to be fully appreciated. They must be 

 allowed to mellow and ripen on the trees. Then I say no 

 small wonder the connoisseur will detect and appreciate 

 the difference between our home grown hothouse peach 

 or nectarine as compared with the southrn grown product. 

 The reason for this can be answered in a few words. 



Fruit that has to travel a long distance must be gathered 

 before fully ripe ; hence the fruit is insipid, lacking the 

 high quality which makes the hothouse fruits famous. 

 Therefore, whoever has the means at command and fails 

 to produce hothouse fruit for their table are missing one 

 of the necessities of life — good fresh, thoroughly ripened 

 fruit. Yes, it is true we have high-class fruit stores in 

 all large cities, where almost any kind of fruit may be 

 purchased in season and out of season, but the question 

 arises. How- long is it since gathered before reachii\g the 

 breakfast or dinner table? Will leave this query for the 

 purchaser to answer. ^laybe all fruit looks alike : still 

 there is a wide comparison between fresh gathered fruit ; 

 consequently the argument is in favor of home product. 

 Having watched the progress of this branch of our pro- 

 fession for many years, I can say there have been many 

 structures gone up this past twenty years for the pro- 

 ductiiin of fruit on private estates; and, by the way. it 

 is not such an expensive operation after the first outlay. 

 Take peaches and nectarines, for instance. They do not 

 require the heat necessary to keep our e.xotic plants in 

 health and vigor. Indeed, it would be a detriment to 

 them, we find, as nature brings them along. The peach 

 tree will come into bloom with a moderate cool tempera- 

 ture, and whoever follow'S Nature's laws will come off 

 victorious, whether it is peaches, nectarines, or anything 

 else for that matter. 



r >. 





•f "'% 



Wtm^ 



:IETY, "SUPERB MELON. 



