34 THE BOOK OF THE PEACH. 



undesirable time of year. The same precautionary 

 measure should be observed in borders of "lean- 

 to " houses where deemed advisable. 



The foregoing remarks on the making of peach 

 borders only refer to cases where there is no 

 choice of sites whereon to erect peach-houses but 

 land totally unfit for healthy and satisfactory 

 fruit-tree growth land where the subsoil is such 

 as to necessitate provision for keeping the roots 

 of the trees in the prepared composts, and the 

 placing of drainage on the bottom of concrete or 

 pounded-chalk base in order to prevent the soil 

 becoming waterlogged at any time. 



However, in the case of houses erected on land 

 of ordinary fertility and texture, all that is necessary 

 is to excavate the holes in semicircular form five 

 feet in diameter, and from eighteen to twenty-four 

 inches deep, the bottom being broken up, returning 

 some of the soil, and incorporating short manure 

 therewith before the planting is proceeded with. 

 If the highest known water-line in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of the peach-houses reaches within 

 thirty inches of the surface, it will be advisable to 

 place four or five inches thick of brickbats, clinkers, 

 or stones in the bottom for drainage, covering this 

 with turfs or stable litter to prevent the soil getting 

 into and choking the drainage. Where the natural 

 soil is quite unsuited to the growth of peach trees, 



