7.8 THE BOOK OF THE PEACH. 



to work the front ventilators, while a wheel at- 

 tached to the bottom of vertical iron bar regulated 

 the top ventilators. The back \vas, and I have no 

 doubt is still, furnished from base to summit \vith 

 well-trained trees of the peach and nectarine, while 

 on the ground space between the pathway and front 

 wall stood two rows of trees, or rather bushes., of the 

 same kinds in pots. These bushes, while most 

 favourably placed as regards light, did not in any 

 way interfere with the development of the trees on 

 the wall, being placed sufficiently apart to admit of 

 plenty of light and fresh air reaching the trees on the 

 back wall from bottom to top. 



The trees were growing in pots varying in size 

 according to the age and size of the individual trees, 

 from twelve inches to eighteen inches in diameter. 

 When the trees were swelling their crops, some 

 pieces of thin turf were placed round inside the rims 

 of the pots on top, the additional space thus afforded 

 being filled with sheep dung, this application 

 serving a twofold purpose, namely, that of preserving 

 the moisture in the soil about the roots and in 

 contributing largely to the swelling up of the fruits 

 to fine size, by the substance of the manure being 

 washed down to the roots each time water was 

 applied thereat. 



In the autumn the trees were turned out of the 

 pots, the balls of soil and roots being pricked round 



