ORCHABD-HOUSES. 295 



In this house, last July, we had the pleasure of tasting most delicious figs 

 and white Frontignac grapes, then perfectly ripe, which had been grown in 

 it without the slightest aid from artificial heat, as we understood. 



Sir. In ranging over the grounds, a few orchard-houses present themselves, 

 — plain usefiil buildings, generally span-roofed ; but the demand for trees 

 has evidently interfered with their show of fruit, being all half-empty, and, as 

 we said before, they just exhibited enough of the system to satisfy us of what 

 it is capable; taking with us, however, this important reservation, that 

 Mr. Rivers is so happily placed in respect to situation, that, in his own grounds 

 alone, he has five or six different soils of a most fertile description, in which 

 all fruit-trees grow naturally, and in great luxuriance. 



812. Mr. Rivei's describes, as a convenient form of house, a lean-to structure, 

 SO feet long and 12 feet 6 inches wide, made in the following simple manner : 

 Six posts of yellow deal, 5 inches by 3, or oak jjosts, 4 inches by 3, and 9 feet 

 6 inches in length, are firmly fixed, and driven 2 feet into the ground, the 

 lower ends being previously charred and coated with coal-tar. This is the 

 back line of posts. Six other posts, exactly similar, but only 4 feet 6 inches 

 long, are fixed 18 inches in the groimd, forming the front posts of the house, — 

 the one rising 3 feet and the other 7 feet 6 inches above the ground-level. 

 Two posts at one end occupy the centre, and form the door-posts. On the 

 six posts, both in back and front, a wall-plate is nailed to receive the rafters, 

 one of which springs from each of the six front posts, resting on the corre 

 spending back post. 



813. The rafters are 14 feet long. A 9-inch deal, 3 inches thick, will make 

 four of them. On the upper side of each rafter is nailed a slijD of ^-inch deal, 

 1^- inch wide, which will leave h an inch on each side as rebate to receive the 

 glass. The rafters so prepared are fixed in their place to the wall-plates by 

 having a piece cut out at each end to correspond with the angle of the back 

 and front plates. Thej' are then firmly nailed, at back and front, by a strong 

 spike-nail, leaving a space between each rafter of 5 feet, which is called a bay ; 

 this is filled up by smaller rafters or sash-bars, of a size proportioned to their 

 length and the use they are to be put to, — vines trained to them requiring 

 stronger bars, A piece of f -inch deal board, 6 inches wide, nailed along the 

 top of each rafter, so as to be even with their upper edges, forms the ridge- 

 board, leaving a groove to receive the upper end of the glass. A similar 

 piece of inch deal, 6 inches wide, let in by sawing a corresponding piece out 

 of each rafter, will receive the glass and carry ofi" the water. The placing 

 the glass is a very simple process : beginning at the top, a plate of glass, 20 

 inches wide, is laid in the groove, and fixed in its place by a brad driven iu'io 

 the rafter, a bed of putty being first laid ; and so on till the whole is covered 

 in, — open joints in the glass being rather advantageous than otherwise, it 

 not too wide. No putty is used in the laps. The ends of the houses are fitted 

 up to correspond with the roof, only that above the doorway a large sash is 

 fitted in for ventilation. These sashes at each end., and the front or side sashes, 

 are said by Mr. Rivers to be quite sufficient ; indeed, he pronounces the ven« 



