28 THE BOOK OF THE PEACH. 



to open the top and front ventilators at about eight 

 o'clock in the evening sufficiently to admit of a 

 gentle circulation of fresh air among the foliage 

 and fruit of the trees during the night, as no 

 plant will flourish in a stagnant atmosphere, 

 closing the ventilators at six o'clock on the 

 following morning prior to distributing water over 

 the peach border and pathways in addition to 

 syringing the trees thoroughly with clean water. 

 Keep the peachery closed until the thermometer 

 registers from seventy-five to eighty degrees, at 

 which point the top ventilators should be slightly 

 opened, afterwards increasing the amount of air 

 thus given as the temperature continues to rise 

 (opening the front vents a little at the same time) 

 until by noon the ventilators, front and top, may 

 be opened to their full extent. It may also be 

 necessary to open the doors in very hot weather 

 with a view to preventing the temperature in each 

 of the peach-houses rising above ninety degrees. 

 But should the thermometer register even one 

 hundred degrees in these circumstances, it does 

 not matter in the least so long as the trees are 

 moist at the roots and plenty of moisture is dis- 

 tributed in the several houses twice before closing 

 in the afternoon say at eleven and one o'clock 

 in order to counteract the drying influence of the 

 sun and to promote a genial atmosphere. From 



