CULTURE 'UNDEB. GLASS, 243 



Still, they are more generally fuTnished with standard, pyramid, or bnsli 

 trees in pots or planted ont. 



The chief merit of orchard houses as opposed to peach cases is their 

 size, varying in width from 10ft. to 20ft., 30ft., or more, and in height 

 from 6ft. to 25ft. It is obvious that they inclose a g^eat mass of air, 

 . and, cdtasaquently, they are much longer in being cooled than smaller 

 houses. Hence trees in unheated orchard houses not seldom escape 

 injury from frosts that prove quite fatal to trees in glass cases, though 

 the latter have a large reserve of stored up heat in the brick wall, 

 which the other has not. Trees may also be kept much later in orchard 

 houses than in glass cases, being generally span-roofed, with ample 

 ventilation in the apex, and the whole of each side frequently made to 

 open so as to create a through draught. The hottest spring sunshine ' 

 has comparatively little influence in heating the air of orchard houses 

 or exciting the trees. All these retarding conditions are entirely reversed 

 in glass cases. With the utmost possible ventilation, the close proximity 

 of the glass to the wall seems to endow the solar rays with greater force 

 and new power, and the trees rush the faster into bloom in consequence. 

 There is often a difference of a month between the floweriiig of peaches 

 in glass cases and in orchard houses, and hence the chief reason why a 

 crop nlay often be safe in the latter after it is cruelly wrecked in the 

 former. In fact, orchard houses are just as useful in retarding crops of 

 peaches as in rendering them safe, or fostering them by a superior 

 climate. Keither is tiiis retardation by any means confined to the 

 flowering season. Peaches and nectarines may be kept much cooler, and, 

 consequently, later, in orchard houses than on brick walls. With 

 sufScient means of ventilation, the later sorts of peaches and nectarines 

 may readily be gathered right up to ITovember from orchard houses. 



Of course, too, such structures may be heated to any desired extent ; 

 and it is safer to have some means of heating all orchard houses, though 

 for late fruit it would seldom be needful to use fire heat. Peaches do 

 well in a low temperature. The flowers set freely, unless actually frozen, 

 in a temperature of 45deg. ; SOdeg. should not be exceeded until they 

 are set. And as regards ventilation, though means of giving air on the 

 crown of the ridge or highest part of the roof, and also along each side, 

 should always be provided, yet they need not be used unless when 

 required. Only those ventilators on the sheltered side should be 

 1 opened during cold winds ; and, of course, by early closing and a 

 judicious use of fire heat the trees in orchard houses may be brought on 

 as fast as in others, though, as a rule, they are generally so managed as 

 to come in either between the fruit in the peach house and the open walls, 

 or after the latter. 



