86 THE BOOK OF THE PEACH. 



PEACH GROWING FOR MARKET. 



In starting to grow peaches and nectarines for 

 market, it will be a great advantage if the grower 

 can erect about four or more blocks of span-roofed 

 houses, each block consisting of, say, from three to 

 six or more houses (see Fig. 21), each block only re- 

 quiring two side and two end continuous walls 2 J feet 

 high, the side w r alls consisting of 4j-inch brickwork 

 with g-inch piers built therein at intervals of 8 feet, 

 the piers being built flush with the walls on the 

 inside in order to sustain lateral pressure, the end 

 walls consisting of g-inch w r ork. Houses from 18 to 

 24 feet wide, and any length between 50 and 200 

 feet, are suitable for the production of peaches for 

 any purpose. Nine-inch piers should take the place 

 of the continuous division walls for supporting the 

 valley gutter-plate, to which the rafters of each pair 

 of spans are nailed opposite each other at the proper 

 distances apart, these being secured to the ridge at 

 the same time. Of course, the piers are on a 

 level, running or otherwise, with the side and end 

 walls. 



The gutter-plates should consist of pitch-pine 

 12 inches wide and 2 inches thick ; the individual 

 plates should fit together on a pier, and not a short 

 distance therefrom, in order to save cutting off a 

 piece. All the other wood, wall-plates, rafters, etc., 



