1 66 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



night, and with sun it may safely run to 70° or 75° by 

 day, according to the intensity of the sunshine. Until 

 the fruit are stoned the night temperature should not 

 exceed this. After they are stoned it may be raised to 

 65°, and to 80° with sun-heat by day. In the case of 

 early forcing of which I am now treating, I do not 

 recommend a higher temperature for peaches than the 

 last named — not that there is any fear of the fruit drop- 

 ping off with a higher temperature after the stoning 

 process is past, but I have always found that the 

 moderate rate of forcing produced finer peaches and 

 wood than are attainable with more rapid forcing. Of 

 course very much depends on the state of the external 

 atmosphere, as every experienced forcer knows. With 

 mild weather the temperature I have named may be 

 exceeded by a few degrees with impunity, even with 

 advantage. On the other hand, in time of very severe 

 frost, when hard firing is necessary to keep up the 

 proper temperature, it is wisest to let the heat decline a 

 few degrees. After a day of bright sunshine, which 

 more or less heats up all surfaces, the house can be 

 shut up with a higher temperature, and the heat 

 husbanded, so that very moderate firing keeps the heat 

 up in the fore part of the night higher than I have 

 named, and under such circumstances there is no 

 objection to this. 



Of course when forcing is commenced later in the 

 season, and the trees are more easily excited, and pro- 

 duce their blossom and young wood more strongly 

 under the influence of increased light, the temperature 

 may range with safety a few degrees higher. For in- 

 stance, a house started in December, for which 50° with 

 fire-heat would be sufficient, might, if not started till far 



