CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 255 



Ab soon as peaohes are stoned they will bear more liberal and forcing 

 treatment. ITp to the completion of that critical proeesa the hold of the 

 fruit on the branch seems somewhat slender and precarious; but after- 

 wards the fruit has greater security of tenure, and is less easily forced or 

 flushed off. Hence it may be fed with manure water, such as house 

 sewage or guano broth, made by dissol-ving 2oz. to the gallon. Nothing 

 suits peaches in pots better than this. AH superfluous wood and leaves 

 ahould also be reduced or removed ; iaud if the tree seems overburdened 

 with fruit, it is better to remove some even thus late than have the 

 entire produce reduced in size and lowered in quality through over- 

 cropping. As much air as poissible must also be given consistent with a 

 temperature of 6Sdeg.-r-70deg. about the highest that peaches should 

 be subjected to. A drier atmosphere should also be maintained during 

 the finishing period, and less water given at the roots ; no manure 

 water must be given within three weeks of the finishing of the 

 fruit. 



In cultivating a general collection of poaches and nectarines in pots 

 there will often be an interval of six weeks or two months even betweei 

 the time of gathering the different varieties. And one of the greatest 

 advantages of growing peaches in pots is that more trees and a greater 

 Variety can be grown in less space than by any other system. The trees 

 also being all portable, it is not necessary to introduce them into heat or 

 under glass all at one and the same time. The earlier trees can be 

 placed in the open air as soon as their fruit, is gathered. This treatment 

 is best for the trees removed, and also affords additional facilities for the 

 more perfect ripening of the wood and fruit of those left. The thinner 

 the orchard or other house can be made in the autumn the more light and 

 direct sunshine the trees left enjoy. The temperature may also be laised 

 for late varieties, to the great improvement at times of their flavour. 

 Trees may also be brought from the shady to the sunny side of the 

 house, or taken from cold orchard houses into warmer vineries or other 

 houses to finish. , 



The advantages of the portability of peach and other fruit 

 trees under this system are almost endless. It affords every facility fo* 

 the forcing of some trees, the retarding of others, and the bringing in of 

 the main crop with the least possible expenditure of skill, labour, or 

 heat, between these two extremes. Then a few trees or many may be 

 had in, at any given time. Half a dozen peaches in pots may be forced or kept 

 back, or grown slowly in any glass house devoted in the main to other : 

 purposes. There is no reason, for example, why a few such treesshonld 

 not be grown in a common greenhouse or conservatory, vinery, peach, 

 hou^e, or other glass house. How easy, also, to winter a few of the late 



