DIMENSIONS OP HOUSES. 69 



must be two and a half feet wide. The trees are placed on 

 raised beds, bricked in : these beds, at the sides, should be 

 four feet wide and fifteen inches high ; but in the central bed, 

 (there are three beds in all,) somewhat higher and one-third 

 broader. Here can be grown fine pyramidal apricots and 

 plums ; pears of choice kinds, and cherries, <fec. 



One of Mr. Rivers's last and best is 100 feet long by 24, 

 and twelve feet high in the centre by five and a quarter feet 

 at the sides. It is glazed at either end, and the roof is sup- 

 ported by seven light iron pillars, the rafters being light. 

 There is a central border, and two paths, but none of the 

 borders are raised, which I prefer. 



These large houses should stand endwise N. B. and S. W. ; 

 for if placed N. W. and S. E. some parts are in shade. Nothing 

 can well be finer than these large span-roofed houses ; they 

 are most ornamental and productive.* 



CHAP. XYIII. 



NAMES OF SOME VARIETIES RECOMMENDED FOR IN-DOOR AND 

 OUT-DOOR CULTURE. 



In the orchard-house, the Red Masculine (Abricot precoce) 

 is a small round-shaped apricot, pale, and musky in flavor. 

 It ripens about the beginning of July, or even earlier in hot 

 seasons. The Large Early (Gros precoce d'Esperen) follows 

 it. It is larger, but not richer in flavor. I have some new 

 varieties from Lombardy, one in particular, large and very 

 early, is far superior to either of these. Then comes the 



[* These are very suitable dimensions for orchard-houses. In our climate, we 

 should, as a rule, recommend span-roofs, as they are more easily ventilated, 

 and are not so hot as lean-to houses. As we have so much more sunlight than 

 they have in Great Britain, a position running anywhere between north and 

 south and east and west will do, according to the convenience or position of the 

 garden or grounds. — c. m. h.] 



