ClIKlilty-llOUSE.] 



PKACTICE OF iioKTicr i/ri'Ki:. 



[the IMNEllT. 



Loamy Boila are genonilly proferrod for 

 peaches, iioctarinea, apples, ami pears; but 

 light gravelly or eaiuly soils aro euitablo for 

 figs and apricots. Dr. Liiulley saya that tiio 

 reason chopped turf forms the best of all 

 soils for fruit trees, is, that the " roots pene- 

 trate the soil in all directions, forming myriads 

 of fine tubes, which convey air and moisture 

 throu'.;h the whole mass of earth." Tiie beat 

 soil for peaches and nectarines is the turf 

 Irom the loamy soil of an old sheep-walk, or 

 line pasture field, pared off about three inches 

 thick, and roughly chopped. The fresher it is 

 used the better. 



The sorts recommended as the best for 

 forcing, are — Gross Mignonne, Eoyal George, 

 Eoyal Charlotte, Eed Magdalen, and Belle- 

 garde. 



Is£CTABiNE8. — Ebruge, Violet, and Ilative. 



THE FIG-HOUSE. 



For the forcing of figs alone houses are 

 but rarely built, as in most families there is 

 no great demand for this fruit ; and, perhaps, 

 because figs are generally forced in flues or 

 tubes in the peach or cherry-house, and 

 managed in the same manner as the trees of 

 these houses are. 



THE CHERRY-HOUSE. 



The cherry is amongst the most difficult of 

 all fruits to force. This arises from its blos- 

 soms being apt to fall off before the fruit is 

 set, and also from the fruit itself frequently 

 falling off" before it has attained to the size ot 

 a pea. The period of commencing to force 

 the cherry is sometimes in December, but 

 more generally in January or February. 

 Newly-planted trees, says Kicol, will bear 

 gentle forcing next spring, from the first 

 or middle of March, which ought to be con- 

 sidered merely as preparatory to forcing them 

 fully from about the Ist of February the third 

 year. As cherry trees are trained against 

 the back wall, the house should be narrow, 

 and the roof steep. When the fruit is setting, 

 the temperature is kept, as steadily as possible, 

 at 50^ ; but after it is set, a plentiful supply of 

 water should be given to both their roots and 

 foliage. When the fruit is colouring, water is 

 almost entirely withheld, and air freely ad- 

 mitted. During the whole process of forcing 



cherriep, an excessivo heat from the rnys of 

 the Bun mu^t bo prevented, either by hliading 

 or a duo ailmisMion of air. In the clierry- 

 houso the plum and thu apricot may iiavo a 

 place, as their treatnient is almost identical. 



TIJE IMNKllY. 



Tho pine-apple being a native of the tropics, 

 naturally requires, in this country, all the light 

 which our cloudy cliniato can afford it. It iti 

 rarely propa<^'ated by t^eed, but frecjuently by 

 crowns, which grow ou the top of tho fruit; 

 though oftener by suckers, which rise from tho 

 stem. Tho following may be taken as a choice 

 list for propagation : — 



Enville, Black Antigua, Old Jamaica, Globe, 

 Eussian Globe, Montserrat, Queen, Moscowr 

 Queen, Antigua Queen, Ripley 'a Queen, 

 Smooth Queen, Prickly Cayenne, Smooth 

 Cayenne, Providence, and Prince Albert. 



Formerly it took about three years to bring 

 the fruit of the pine to perfection in this 

 country ; but on the system of training prac- 

 tised now, that period is reduced to much less 

 than one-half. In regard to the rearing of 

 this luscious fruit, it would appear that it is 

 only to be brought to its highest state of 

 perfection by being grown in low pits, just 

 sufficient for the full development of the 

 foliage of the crown and the fruit. " So 

 closely is this adhered to by Mr. Fleming, of 

 Treutham, one of our most successful cul- 

 tivators, that he has had occasion to take out 

 a pane of glass to allow the crown of the 

 fruit to protrude into the open air. A pas- 

 sage a'ong the centre of such pits is exceed- 

 ingly useful, particularly in the fruiting depart- 

 ment." In order to obtain sufficient warmth 

 fur these plants, the pots in which they are 

 placed are usually buried in a bed of tanner's 

 bark, decaying leaves, or other kinds of fer- 

 menting matter. This hoitom-heat, as it is 

 called, is somewhat difficult to be properly 

 managed ; and it would appear to have been, 

 bv gardeners, universally kept at too great a 

 height. " Perhaps the upper limit of its 

 temperature may be fixed at blood-heat, or, at 

 moj^t, 100°, while the richer or winter limit 

 may be brought down to 7o° or 75°. The 

 principles of the application of bottom-heat 

 have, until lately, been little understood. Iq 

 practice its value has been acknowledged for 



971 



