CHAP. V VILLA GAKDENING 3.39 



sense of security which is worth a little cost, and the expense of 

 the pipes is not a ruinous affiiir. For a small house 3-incli pipes 

 would do. But a late house, which is intended to be forced by the 

 sun only, should be as roomy as possible, and large houses can be 

 built cheaper in proportion than small ones. In the arrangement 

 of the interior of houses for late Peaches, ingenious minds have 

 often got off tlie beaten track in the construction and arrange- 

 ment of the trellises. With the view of increasing the train- 

 ing surface, among other plans which I have seen tried is the 

 arrangement of transverse vertical trellises across the house under 

 each rafter. This is not new. Very few things are, for our 

 predecessors have not only written and said all the good 

 things we would like to say, but they have left us at least the 

 germs of all the new inventions. One advantage in the system is, 

 that it leaves the back wall free and fidly exposed to the light, and 

 certainly increases the training space. It also gives scope for the 

 planting of more trees, thus securing a greater variety, and 

 lengthening out the season. Even in imforced houses this is 

 important, for when trees are encouraged to grow to a large size 

 the fruit ripens too much together to be made the most of. On 

 this system a house 40 feet long and 18 or 20 feet wide will 

 furnish a training surface for a dozen trees, viz. nine on the 

 transverse trellises and three on the back wall ; and these twelve 

 trees, if judiciously selected, should in a cool house give a long 

 succession. This is the only advantage claimed for it, but that 

 (piality I think it really possesses. For the production of really 

 handsome well-flavoured fruit there is, of course, no better way 

 than to train the trees within 18 inches or so of the glass. The 

 system of tranverse trellises is not so well adapted for S2Dan-roofed 

 houses, as there is no back wall to utilise. Still, even here the 

 l)lan may be made to answer, but the house should not be less than 

 25 feet wide. A border 3 feet wide should run round the house 

 next the wall. Then should come a 3-foot path, and this would 

 leave a central border of 1 3 feet ; consequently the transverse 

 trellises would be that width, which would fm-nish training space 

 for one tree on each. The outside border would be furnished with 

 trees, which could be trained to a vertical trellis, running all round 

 the house near the path. Such a house has a pretty and 

 interesting appearance at all seasons, and both trees and fruit 

 would be always under the eye, and easily managed. 



Value of Maiden Trees. — If young trees have to be piu*- 

 chased, I much prefer maidens for indoors and outside. Trees 

 which have been cut back time after time are very susceptible to 

 gum and canker, and never, or at least rarely, acquire the vigour 



