2 CORDON TRAINING. 



without artificial heat, to obtain dry and equable tempera- 

 tures, which rival the climate of the most fertile portions of 

 France ; and this without risk of damage from the spring 

 frosts, which, in those localities, are so injurious to vege- 

 tation. 



It is not too much to anticipate the day when every small 

 garden will be considered deficient in one of its most indis- 

 pensable requisites, if it fail to have its orchard house, as well 

 as its modest vinery. Persons of moderate means will ever 

 find the orchard liouse a source of amusement and profit. 

 It is easy to construct ; equally easy to slock ; the manage- 

 ment is simple and readily understood, and the author is very 

 desirous of showing how a moderate amount of expense will 

 enable any one to be his " own gardener," and be thus lib- 

 erated from a degrading dependence on the caprice of un- 

 skilled men. 



To his brethren, the clergy, scattered in villages, and thus 

 necessarily somewhat dependent on the limited resources 

 which these can supply, it seemed to him a grateful task to 

 state his own experience, and if he shall be able in any de- 

 gree to simplify the practice of fruit culture, and thus save a 

 portion of their invaluable time, his own labor will certainly 

 not have been thrown away. 



There is no doubt that fruit culture is, as yet, very imper- 

 fectly understood, even by scientific men. Great advances 

 are, however, being made daily in this interesting branch, 

 and it is certain that few things tend more to further this 

 progress, than a simple and honest description of experience. 

 Every one can thus greatly judge for himself; and, by com- 

 paring his own observations with the notes made by others, 

 who are not more skilful, but wlio have more leisure, he may 

 reach a certain standard, which must be of immense value in 

 practice. It is difficult to account for the reticence observed 

 in these matters, and this is, doubtless, one great reason why 

 we do not advance as we should. 



At the same time it is absolutely necessary to be cautious 

 in drawing conclusions from isolated facts. There are many 



