70 



JOUBNAL Of HOETICTILTUEB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



( Janiur; 28, 1875. 



Fig. 17. 



near the glass in case of sndden frost, with danger also 

 from condensed moisture during the flowering period. 

 Experience prompts my naming 15 inches from the glass 

 as the best distance for early forcing, and for crops which 

 are not expected to be ripe before July any distance 

 from 15 inches to 3 feet is suitable, but at a greater dis- 

 tance than 3 feet they answer for later crops ; the main 

 thing is to afford the foliage unobstructed light, and they 

 then do well at a greater distance, and when but little 

 artificial heat is employed ; but for early work the 

 growths require to be made near the glass, for when 

 made at a distance from it the shoots are liable to be 

 drawn, and the foliage thin in texture, which results in 

 single instead of triple buds, and those formed being 

 very liable to drop. 



The best material for the trellis is iron, having guid- 

 ing bars of flat bar iron — one to each rafter, and pierced 

 with holes 6 inches apart for the wires to pass through, 

 with angle iron at the ends, and also pierced with holes 

 for the wires, the ends of the wires threaded, and the 

 wires tightened with brass thumb-screw nuts. The 

 angle iron may be IJ inch each way and three- sixteenths 

 of an inch thick, and the bars three-quarters by a 

 quarter inch thick; when practicable secured to the 

 woodwork of the house, as they may in front trellises to 

 the wall plates and rafters ; whilst the back-wall trellis 

 stage may be let into the wall, and secured by cement. 

 The curved trellises may have the stays let into stones 

 on pillars, and cemented-up. The best kind of wire is 

 the annealed ; galvanised does not answer so well as the 

 plain, and this does not appear injurious. Were better- 

 finished iron employed for galvanising it is likely any 

 objection would disappear ; but in its present rough 

 state minute particles sticking up along its surface, and 

 causing gum or canker in every shoot pierced by those 

 particles, it is not to be recommended. The drawn 

 annealed wire is much more evenly finished, and is 

 stronger than rolled wire, which from its cheapness is 

 most commonly used. Drawn annealed wire is best 

 for trellises under glass, 

 and for a Peach treUis 

 No. 8 gauge, which is 

 about 509 yards per hun- 

 dredweight, and this 

 should be thoroughly 

 painted, three coats at 

 least, of white-lead paint, 

 as well as the other iron- 

 work of the trellis. 



There is nothing better 

 for constructing the 

 house than wood. To 

 sound well-seasoned red 

 deal there is no objec- 

 tion, and this we ad- 

 vise for the woodwork. 

 Lights, especially move- 

 able ones, are going out 

 of date. It is, however, 

 a mistake for Peach 

 houses to dispense with 

 them. All the glass por- 

 tion of the roof should 

 be moveable except the 

 ventilation part and 

 front Ughts, so that the 

 trees may when at rest 

 be fully exposed to the 

 weather, and especially 

 those houses which are 

 calculated to give ripo 

 fruit in April up to July. 

 Great benefit accrues 

 from the exposure of the 

 trees to the weather, 

 particularly those ripen- 

 ing their fruit off at an 

 early season. The ex- 

 posure is a great de- 

 structive of red spider 

 and complete annihilator 

 of brown scale ; besides, 



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