CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 321 



thin shade in the day to avoid scorching. Manure will be the heating 

 agency, and place this in sufficient quantity to start the plants freely. 

 If put out in May the plants should bear fruit at the end of August. 

 When planting keep the frame close for a few days, and with frame 

 culture less water is needed, but the soil should be moist all over. A 

 bushel of soil to each plant or light at the start will suffice. Peg 

 the growths down when large enough to the soil, stop at eighteen 

 inches, and train two or three shoots over the surface. Stop these 

 growths when plenty of fruit shows, and then set the fruit as advised, 

 keeping the plants drier and admitting more air. When large enough 

 place the fruits on slates or tiles to keep them from the soil, and 

 useless growths must be removed, as with frame culture ample light 

 is important. Excellent Melons may also be grown in cold frames ; 

 but grown thus greater care is needed in watering and ventilating. 



Nectarines. The Nectarine is among the most popular of hardy 

 fruits for its good looks and rich vinous flavour. Moreover, the trees 

 are easily grown, and will succeed on open walls as well as in borders 

 and pots under glass. Nectarines may be grown in either a span- 

 roofed or lean-to structure, which must be light and well ventilated, 

 and supplied with sufficient hot-water piping. The border, which may 

 be either inside or outside the house, should be about two and a half 

 feet deep, and where the subsoil is clayey, cover it with concrete, 

 and have a good fall and a four-inch drain pipe to carry off superfluous 

 water. Several inches of broken bricks should be laid in the bottom 

 of the border, and these must be covered with turf grass side down- 

 wards, to prevent the soil from blocking the drainage. Where, how- 

 ever, the subsoil is naturally porous, no concrete will be necessary. 

 Nectarines succeed best in good loamy soil, rather strong than other- 

 wise, with a good quantity of mortar or plaster refuse added. Animal 

 manure should not be used, as it encourages a too strong growth. The 

 firmer the border is made the better. Choose healthy, evenly-balanced 

 trees free from canker, and plant them in November or December. 

 Remove all unripe wood and coarse or damaged roots with a sharp 

 knife, and spread out the rest evenly, covering them with about four 

 inches of soil, making it very firm. Give a gentle watering, and cover 

 the surface lightly with leaf -mould or short manure to keep it moist. 

 Keep the house very cool and airy during winter, and allow the trees 

 to start naturally into growth in spring. When the young shoots are 

 half an inch long commence to disbud, removing all those shoots 

 growing out from the front of the branches, and leaving as many on 

 each side of the previous year's branches as can be laid in without 

 crowding. Should any extra strong shoots start from the centre of 

 the tree, cut them clean away, as if allowed to remain they will rob the 

 rest of the trees of sap. Tie the growths to the trellis, keeping them 

 as straight and even as possible, and freely syringing them every fine 

 afternoon, to keep red spider at bay. Admit plenty of air, keep the 

 border moist, and when the foliage commences to change colour in 

 autumn keep the ventilators open continually. When the wood is 

 ripe prune the trees, cutting the shoots back into the firm wood, and 



x 



