AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



511 



Orchard House continued. 



rate when so favoured, the trees should be discarded in 

 favour of others that are more certain to fulfil expecta- 

 tions, and repay the extra attention afforded. The Orchard 

 House and its uses having been so far explained, a refer- 

 ence may now be made to its size and shape, and to the 

 general cultivation and treatment of the various fruit- 

 trees worthy of being included amongst its occupants. 



Size and Shape. These are points affecting each 

 other somewhat considerably, so much depending on 

 requirements, and the extent to which it is desirable 

 or possible to adopt the system of fruit culture under 

 notice. The form of structure best adapted is the span 

 roof, as it affords a full amount of light to trees on all 

 sides, and due provision can be made for the admission 

 and free circulation of air, both at top and bottom in the 

 first place, by means of lifting a portion of roof at the 

 apex, and, in the second, by the opening of upright sashes, 



YIG. 761. SPAN-ROOFED ORCHARD IJous^ 



situated above the side walls (see Fig. 761) or weatiier- 

 boarding the latter being sometimes substituted in lieu 

 of walls. In many Orchard Houses, only a little top 

 ventilation is given in proportion to the quantity of air 

 required, but there must be some to cause a free cir- 

 culation about the trees. Airing is mainly conducted 

 by means of side sashes, or by some method of venti- 

 lation situated near the ground line. Proportionate 

 sizes for a rather large span-roofed Orchard House 

 would be 50ft. long by about 24ft. wide, and from 

 12ft. to 15ft. high from the floor line to the apex ; 

 the height at the sides should be 6ft. This would 

 admit of either a central or a side path arrangement 

 inside. If a centre path were desired, beds could 

 be formed on either side, for planting trees in or 

 for standing them on, if grown in pots. A bed in 

 -the middle admits of more head-room for trees; but, in 

 .a house of the dimensions given above, a much better 

 arrangement seems to be that of having a straight, 

 neat path, made of gravel, from one end door to the 

 other, a bed or border being on either side, then 

 another narrow path for workmen to attend to water- 

 ing, &c., and, finally, a border for dwarf trees round 

 next the side sashes, and at the ends. Smaller 

 span-roofed Houses, or those of another shape, would 

 require a different arrangement ; but these are, so far, 

 only matters of taste, depending on the number and 

 size of trees to be cultivated. Excellent fruits, par- 

 ticularly of Peaches and Nectarines, have been obtained 

 from lean-to or half-span Orchard Houses ; but these 

 shapes do not admit of much head-room for trees in 

 pots. The system of culture is of more importance 

 than the form of house, yet the latter is of material 

 help to the former ; and the span-roof, having several 

 points in its favour over any other shape, is, conse- 

 quently, the one recommended. 



Trees in Pots and Planted Out. Orchard Houses, in 

 which it is desired to grow a variety of fruit-trees 

 during spring and summer only, are best managed if the 



Orchard House continued 



trees are grown in pots ; a larger number may thus be 

 accommodated in a given space than would be possible 

 if they were planted out, and their portability allows them 

 to be removed wherever desired, and to be placed up 

 together in the winter. Planted-out trees do not require 

 attention so frequently in watering ; and, although this 

 is an advantage, they are not so much under the com- 

 mand of the cultivators as if they were movable and 

 their roots restricted. Pot-trees, on the other hand, 

 depend very materially, for success or failure, on the 

 attention given to watering. On an extensive scale, this 

 means an enormous amount of work during the summer, 

 as watering becomes necessary twice or thrice in a day. 

 Manuring, by the application of a top-dressing of some 

 rich compost and liquid manure, is also most essential 

 in summer, in order to sustain health and fertility. It 

 should be practised soon after the young fruits are set, 

 and again when the second swelling begins. 

 In the case of Peaches or Nectarines, a top- 

 dressing should be composed of some rich manure 

 and good loam in equal quantities ; this should, 

 if possible, be saturated with some liquid manure 

 a few days previous to being used. Horse- 

 droppings have proved an excellent ingredient 

 for such composts, and so also has malt-dust. 

 The mixture should be laid on the surface of 

 the other soil to a depth of about 4in., and 

 the inner part towards the tree left hollow 

 for receiving the water supplied and preventing 

 it from running away. Fruit-trees in pots 

 require to be kept very nearly dry at the roots 

 during winter, as, although the hitter arc 

 seltom or never altogether at rest, they need 

 being kept from undue excitement at this 

 season. If the roots are kept saturated with water, 

 ripening of the wood is but improperly effected, and, 

 consequently, on the return of spring, many blos- 

 soms are imperfectly developed that would have been 

 pushed forth had a system of withholding water in 

 winter been practised. In the case of trees in large 

 pots, especially of Apricots, Nectarines, and Peaches, 

 1 there is seldom any necessity for watering at all between 

 the beginning of November and the beginning of March, 

 when the flower-buds will begin to swell or expand. It 

 has already been stated that a sheltered place outside, 

 in favourable parts of the country, will do, with proper 

 coverings, for the winter, yet, for several reasons, Orchard- 

 house trees are best "kept under glass, if space can be 

 afforded them in a structure where fire-heat is not allowed. 

 Exposure to severe weather is ruinous to them. The 

 pots would require a covering of bracken or dry litter 

 all the same, to prevent their being burst by frost, 

 should it be severe enough to reach them. Pot culture, 

 in an Orchard House, has also another advantage, inas- 

 much as a greater variety can be grown in a given space, 

 and if any sorts are found unworthy of having special 

 treatment afforded to bring their fruit to perfection, 

 they can readily be discarded, and their space re-occupied 

 by other pot-trees of superior merit. It is most im- 

 portant that no roots be allowed to pass through the 

 bottom and establish themselves in a border ; conse- 

 quently, provision should be made for preventing this, by 

 placing two bricks together, and standing the pots on them. 

 Potting, or re-potting, of Orchard-house trees should be 

 attended to soon after the fruits are gathered, and before 

 the leaves drop. A large heap of soil should be prepared 

 beforehand, where there is much to be done, and allowed, 

 after being well mixed, to remain for a few days or 

 weeks, for that matter. It should be composed of about 

 two-thirds loam, rather tenacious preferred, the other 

 portion being well-decomposed manure. To this may 

 be added, with advantage, some sifted brick and mortar 

 rubbish, or chalk, particularly for stone fruits, and 



