ORCHARD HOUSE 77 



ORCHARD HOUSE 



For dimensions see under pears. Plums are best 

 in pots or tubs, as they can be taken out when at 

 rest. They are very liable to attacks from aphides, 

 but the insecticide for pears in pots is good also for 

 plums. The house must be fumigated, and the trees 

 syringed on the least appearance of aphis. Place 

 the pots on bricks (i>. pears). When growth is being 

 started the temperature should be from 45 at night to 

 50 by day. Soft or tepid water should be given freely. 

 Fumigate again just before the flowers come out. As 

 the buds increase, raise the temperature 5 to lo, and 

 syringe once or twice a day with tepid water. But a 

 dry atmosphere is important while the trees are in 

 flower. Admit air as well as bees in the forenoon, 

 and pass a camel-hair or light brush over the flowers 

 about the middle of the day. When the fruit is set, 

 syringe at least once a day j if the weather is hot, twice 

 or even three times a day, and give all the air possible. 

 Thin the fruits (if the crop is large) with scissors ; 

 mulch and feed with weak liquid manure (see pears). 

 The shoots must be pinched if the trees are of any age, 

 at the fifth or sixth leaf. Not much heat is needed 

 generally, but when the stoning period is passed, the 

 ripening process may be hastened by a higher tempera- 

 ture. The house may be closed at an earlier hour if 

 necessary. Avoid extremes. As the fruits ripen, 

 cease gradually to syringe, but keep the house moist 

 by sprinkling water over the paths, etc. Choose the 

 choicest dessert sorts : Early Transparent, Dennistoun's 

 Superb, July Greengage, Jefferson, Count Althann, 

 Coe's Golden Drop, Guthrie's Late Green, Angelina 

 Burdett, Bryanstone Gage, and Golden Transparent ; 

 and if darker colours are desired : Early Prolific, 

 Belgian Purple and Czar. Bryanston Gage was re- 



