138 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



impunity the intense frosts of winter. The Americans 

 raise their trees from stones, and though they grow 

 rapidly into a bearing condition, they are not long- 

 lived. It is not uncommon to find orchards of from 

 10,000 to 20,000 trees belonging to one individual. 

 In the comparatively mild climate of Britain, the 

 peach, even on south walls, often suffers severely from 

 frost. This is easily accounted for by the imperfect 

 ripening of the wood in our comparatively dull and 

 wet summers. The peach was introduced into this 

 country more than 200 years ago, when most likely 

 it was brought from France, where it had been culti- 

 vated a long time before that period. In the south of 

 France it succeeds as a common standard ; but in the 

 north it requires to be grown against walls. In Britain 

 it succeeds outdoors only against walls with south 

 aspects; but even under such favourable conditions, 

 outdoor crops are very uncertain over the greater part 

 of the kingdom. It is only under glass that good 

 annual crops can be produced. The peach season can, 

 by early forcing and growing it in cool houses, be 

 extended to seven months of the year. I have for 

 years in succession gathered ripe peaches the last week 

 of April, and continued to do so till the last week of 

 October. 



PEACH-HOUSE FOR EARLY FORCING. 



It is needless to occupy time and space with argu- 

 ments to show that for the early forcing of the peach 

 a lean-to house, similar to that recommended for the 

 early forcing of the vine, is the best. In all respects 

 it may be the same except in the trellis-work for 

 training the trees to ; and even in this respect the 



