SOILS FOR FORCED FRUITS. 291 



easy to say how broad it should be ; but it should 

 not be narrower, outside and inside of the house ta- 

 ken together, than thirty feet. The soil should be 

 thus composed: One-half strong hazelly loam ; one- 

 fourth light sandy earth ; an eighth part vegetable 

 mould of decayed tree-leaves ; and an eighth part 

 rotten dung; to which may very properly be added, 

 a moderate quantity of lime, or of shell-marl. These 

 articles should be perfectly decomposed, and inti- 

 mately mixed, before planting. 



4. Peaches and Nectarines. 



The bottom is supposed to be made comfortable, 

 as above stated. In treating of the dimensions of 

 peach-houses, in the last Section, I have supposed, 

 that in all cases they are to be trained up the front, 

 and that the front walls stand on pillars, that the 

 roots may pass through to the border on the outside. 

 The breadth of the border should therefore be, the 

 width of the house within, and to the extent of ten 

 or twelve feet without. The average depth, thirty 

 inches at the least ; but if a yard, it would not be 

 too much. The soil to be thus composed : Three- 

 fourths strong loam ; an eighth part light sandy 

 earth ; and an eighth part rotten stable-yard dung, 

 with a competent quantity of lime or marl ; all being 

 properly mixed before planting, as stated above. 



The soil for plants to be forced in pots or tubs 

 may be considerably lighter, and richer. 



3. Pine-Apples. 

 Vegetable mculd being a chief ingredient, a 



