340 VILLA GARDENING part IV 



and healthy freshness of condition which the uupruned trees do. 

 Of com-se I do not object to reasonable and judicious pruning, but 

 I contend that the manner in which young trees are sometuues 

 mutilated in their youth is very far from being reasonable or 

 judicious. Having gone somewhat fully into the construction of 

 the border in treating of the early Peach-house, I need not further 

 refer to it here beyond laying some stress ixpon the necessity of 

 lime to all stone fruits. A mellow loamy soil from the surface of 

 a limestone-beai'ing strata is the best soil ; and if this cannot be 

 had some lime shoidd be added, either in the construction of the 

 border or from time to time as it is needed. 



Summer Management. — The trees in the late house may be 

 permitted to come on naturally with only just fire-heat enough to 

 protect the blossoms on frosty nights. A good deal may be done 

 by the proper ventilation of the house to regulate the temperature. 

 Some people think that a late house wants no attention beyond a 

 supply of fresh air, but this is a mistake. The ventilation, from 

 the time the blossom opens till the fruit begins to colour, should be 

 as carefully attended to as if the house was forced. And it is 

 especially useful to bear in mind that cold currents of air may be a 

 great source of injury to the young growths in spring. Again, a 

 very great deal of help may be got from the sun, if we lay ourselves 

 out to catch and confine his beams or rays by early closing in the 

 afternoon in the hottest weather in summer. Dm'ing the growing 

 season the house may be closed and syi'inged at four o'clock in the 

 afternoon. Earlier in the season it may be closed proportionately 

 sooner ; but with this system of early closing shoidd be linked 

 early ventilation in the morning, and, if possible, Avithout lowering 

 the temperature too much, a little night ventilation also from an 

 opening or two at the ground line. These openings for night 

 ventilation may be covered with perforated zinc or closely woven 

 netting, and thus the fresh air will be filtered through, and no 

 injurious draught created. The top-dressing of the borders, the 

 application of artificial stimulants and liquid mamu-e, have been 

 referred to elsewhere, and are just as important in the late house 

 as the early one. The blossoms also will require a little attention 

 when setting, for nothing should be left altogether to chance that 

 we can influence or control. For the most part when the pollen is 

 dry, shaking the trellis will scatter it, and the Peach, as a rule, 

 flowers so abundantly that if a tenth jxirt of the blossoms set there 

 will be a superfluity of fruit. Still, it is true wisdom to do all 

 we can to ensure a good set, as that enables the cidtivator to get 

 his crop all on the upper side of the trelUs, and have brighter 

 coloured, and, as a rule, better fruit. The disbudding, the training 



