Peach-houses and Forcing at Bitscot Park. 573 



Athenian Poplar (Vol. VI. p. 368.), the Weephig Willow 

 (p. 368.), the Lombartly Poplar (p. 419.), and also in many 

 ligneous and herbaceous plants which occupy a place in our 

 gardens and national catalogues. — J. D. 



Art. IX. Description of the Peach Houses and Mode of Jhrcing 

 practised at Bnscot Park. By Mr. John Merrick, Gardener 

 to Pryse Pryse, Esq., M.P., Buscot Park, near Farringdon, 

 Berkshire. 



Sir, 

 There are four peacli-houses here, three single ones, and 

 one double one, for forcing peaches and nectarines. The 

 single houses, for such I term them, are very convenient for 

 early forcing; they are 70 ft. long, 6 ft. wide, and 12 ft. high; 

 the top lights are 5 ft. long, and the bottom lights 7 ft. long. 

 The back walls are covered with a trellis, 1 ft. distant at the 

 bottom, and 2 in. distant at the top of the wall. The trees 

 are dwarfs, and planted against the trellis. The flue runs 

 along the front, and is provided with one fire ; which plan I 

 find very economical, as not more than three trees come into 

 bearing at a time. The double house is 60 ft. long, 15 ft. 

 wide, 13 ft. high, and 5 ft. in front, with glass, a trellis of 

 half circles in the middle, and standard trees planted at the 

 back : it is furnished with two fires. 



I generally close my first house about the middle of De- 

 cember, and introduce a fire on the 1st of January. I renew 

 the borders every year with loam and dung. I keep very 

 little or no fires in the night during the first fortnight, but 

 maintain a heat of B5° by day; and, as I wish the buds of my 

 trees to unfold, I commence sprinkling them frequently with, 

 a small hand-engine, which may be carried about with ease; 

 the temperature of the water being as near as possible to that 

 which rises from the ground, and quite clear. By this treat- 

 ment, the blossoms expand very vigorously, and become 

 large ; which is, of course, of great importance in determining 

 the bulk of the fruit. As soon as the blossoms are fully 

 expanded, and the pollen begins to shed, I again commence 

 sprinkling them very slightly, in imitation of a gentle shower 

 of rain. When the pollen is shed, I continue sprinkling until 

 the fruit is nearly ripe, as it tends to promote its absorption, 

 and I find nearly the whole of my blossoms set most perfectly. 

 When the fruit is of the size of a pea, I keep the heat at 60° 

 or 70'^ by day, and at about 50" by night, and I never fail then 

 to fill my house abundantly with steam, when there is suflficient 

 heat in the flues, by pouring water upon them from a watering- 



