32 ORCHARD-HOUSES. 



Some persons pull off the leaves from their Vines, 

 to expose the Grapes to the sun ; and instead of 

 well-coloured fruit, get " Red Black Hamburghs," 

 with thick skins. 



There is a prevalent idea that an orchard-house 

 ought to be heated to render it safe from frost, 

 and to ripen the wood in autumn. I should be 

 very sorry if this were generally thought neces- 

 sary, having had good crops every year myself. 

 I cannot, of course, advise any one to incur an 

 outlay in the first instance equal to half the cost 

 of the house, beside the after expense of fuel. 

 Fires require much and constant attention, as all 

 know who have had the care of them. The great 

 enjoyment of an orchard-house is the agreeable 

 temperature, the shelter from cold winds, and 

 absence of damp artificial heat. If the wet and 

 sunless summer of 1860, followed by the terrible 

 winter of the same year, did not prevent our 

 trees bearing a good crop of fine fruit, why should 

 we fear for the future ? To this reasoning may 

 be added, that if you provide the means of heating 

 your or chard -house, you afford a great tempta- 

 tion to your gardener to fill it with tender plants, 

 which require a little heat to keep out frosts. 



