ORCHAHD-HOUSES. 301 



would never do, wliile his gardener could, by potting a few well-grown trees in 

 summer, placing them from time to time in his forcing-house, produce him fine 

 ripe fruit from June to October, by leaving Royal George and Noblesse i^eaches 

 and Moor-park apricots ovit of doors in Jul\', so as to retard them." But the 

 advocate for orchard-houses has his answer. There is a range of peach and 

 nectarine houses at Wethersfield for early forcing, but, as a matter of fact, he 

 supplied the family table with fruit from August 9th till November, from the 

 orchard-house to which exception is taken, and from trees planted in the 

 border. Fi-om the manner in which the trees were planted, two crops were 

 taken from each tree ; one side being so placed as to be from 15° to 20° colder 

 than the other ; and if he were to add an early York peach to his collection, 

 Mr. Morris adds, he could have ripe fruit a fortnight earlier. 



828. For more humble gardeners, who cannot aflbrd even one of these very 

 cheap orchai'd-houses, here is a hint we have picked somewhere in looking 

 over the books : — " Take two or three of the lights used in a common frame ; 

 support their upper ends against a south wall, on which a full-grown healthy 

 peach or nectarine is trained, just as the buds are swelling and about to 

 blossom. Let the bottom rail stand three feet from the ground and three feet 

 from the wall, supported by a strong stake driven into the earth at each 

 corner. Protect the bottom and ends by mats of wheat straw, made in the 

 manner recommended at par. 718. Give air on every fine day, and watch it 

 so as to supply moisture ; remove decaying leaves, and guard from insects. 

 When summer is fairly come, let it ripen under a June and July sun, and tho 

 finest peach-house in the country will not furnish a more delicate fruit, or in 

 greater proportionate quantity,** 



-'>«dfc^23r^t^1^5)^«^>'^^ 



