ORCHARD HOUSE. 



346 



ORCHARD HOUSE. 



the edge of the upper pane, so that there 

 will be no appreciable space between them 

 if the edges are properly and truly cut. 



In Fig. 5, a section of the house is given, 

 showing the borders at front and back, the 



FIG. 5. SECTION OK HOUSE, SHOWING BORDERS. 



raised terrace in the rear of the back border, 

 and the central path. The borders must 

 be sustained by containing walls, shown at 

 A, B, and c. These may be indeed, 

 ought to be of 4^-inch brick as stated, 

 but the building of such simple walls as 

 these would take a great many bricks and 

 cost money. Concrete slabs screwed to 

 posts would be cheaper than brickwork, 

 but those who are making a house of this 

 kind as cheaply as possible will do well to 

 content themselves with containing walls 

 of rough wood set on end and nailed 

 to a framework set up from end to end 

 of the borders. An excellent appear- 

 ance, approximating to rustic work, is 

 obtained by the use of fir poles sawn 

 down the middle, which may be cut in 

 lengths and set on end and nailed to the 

 framework in the same manner as the 

 boards. A coping should be formed by 

 nailing lengths of the same material along 

 the top edge of the wooden wall thus 

 formed. With regard to the terrace at 

 the back of the back border, means 

 should be taken to protect the exterior 



hoarding from decay from the moisture 

 of the earth piled against it by an interior 

 coating of wood, or, better, of concrete 

 slabs. The disposition of the borders is 

 such as to bring every tree as near the 

 light as possible, no matter in what part 

 of the house it may be. 



In the case of an orchard house con- 

 structed across the end of a narrow garden, 

 with an entrance in front, the cost would 

 be comparatively trifling, because there 

 would only be the front to make, the 

 roof, and the enclosures at the sides, and 

 the portion of the back above the garden 

 wall, supposing this to be of brick. Indeed, 

 it is difficult to think of a more appropriate 

 way of disposing of the end of a long and 

 row garden to advantage, especially if 

 the owner of the garden be fond of garden- 

 ing and of fruit. The house already des- 

 cribed may cost from about 15 to ^25, 

 or even ,30, according to the manner in 

 which it is built, but it is possible that a 

 man who can use his tools and purchase 

 and work up his materials with care and 

 judgment, would construct it, with the 



FIG. 6. END ELEVATION. 



hints that have been given, for even less 

 than 10. 



With regard to successful operations in 

 fruit growing within the orchard house, 

 everything depends upon the borders ; 

 their surface should be loose and 



