PREFACE 



My chief aim in writing this book is to lay down 

 those rules of management of fruit trees in pots 

 which, from a lifelong experience, I have found 

 to be essential to success. I ha^e avoided 

 theory as far as possible, aiid confined myself to 

 the advocacy of what is simple, practical, and 

 useful, and I have endeavoured to treat each 

 step in the process with the utmost clearness 

 and care, so as to avoid as far as possible any 

 chance of mistake on the part of those who 

 wish to adopt my method. 



The severe frosts that occurred between the 

 years 1850 and 1860, and especially those of the 

 year 1860, destroyed all the fruit out-of-doors. 

 It then occurred to the late Mr. T. Rivers that 

 something should be done to protect fruit trees 

 from frosts, especially during the flowering stage. 

 The result was the construction of the " orchard 

 house," or glass structure without artificial heat. 



V a 3 



