Ihe Canadian Horticulturist. 255 



A FRUIT HOUSE. 



X some localities it is rather difficult to secure a good cel- 

 lar without considerable work. Often draining by dig- 

 ging a trench is necessar)- ; and when this is the case it 

 will often pay to build a fruit house above the ground, 

 rather than to run the risk of water flooding in and dam- 

 aging the fruit and vegetables. A fruit house, if well 

 buiic, so as to be frost-proof, is much more convenient than a cellar in 

 many ways, but good care must be taken in doing the work if good results are 

 to be secured. 



Two by six inch studding will be the best ; that is, not less than this should 

 be used. They can be placed two feet apart, and it is usually best to brace the 

 corners. Eight feet is plenty high, and, in most cases, six will be sufficient. It 

 should be built close to the ground, so that it can be banked up readily on ail 

 sides. On the outside rough boards can be nailed on first, and over this a 

 layer of tarred paper or heavy straw paper, and then the whole should be care- 

 fully weatherboarded. 



When it can be done, it will be best to fill the space between the studding 

 with sawdust, taking care to fill in tightly. Rough boards can be nailed on the 

 inside, and over this tarred paper should again be tacked. 



Overhead a tight layer of boards should be put and on them a good layer of 

 sawdust. A chimney, or place for ventilation, should be provided. Care 

 should be taken to make tight ; the door and ventilator should be all the open- 

 ings. Good, close-fitting doors, one to open outside and one inside, will help. 

 Boxes or bins should be built inside and about four inches away from the wall. 

 This will give air space between the wall and the fruit. To make doubly sure, 

 an old stove set in the room in which a little fire may be made in the severest 

 weather, will be found a benefit, as a very little fire will lessen very materially the 

 danger of damage. A house of this kind, in a winter like the last one, will keep 

 fi-uit and vegetables without freezing, but in winters such as we sometimes have 

 a little fire will be necessary. — Fruit Growers' Journal. 



Pruning Grapes in Summer. — After the bunches of grapes have formed 

 on the new vine profitable work can be done by going along pinching off the 

 vines just above the fourth leaf, or one leaf above the last bunch of grapes. 

 This will turn much of the sap into the new vine which is to come out, either 

 at the ground or near to it, to make wood for next year when the old vine is cut 

 away. After this year's vines have been pinched off, a new branch will shoot 

 out at the base of each leaf. If these are also pinched off when but a few 

 inches long, no more vines will start out from them and all the sap for this 

 season will go into the fruit and into the new vine which shot out from the 

 ground. — Orange Judd Farmer. 



