348 FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



allowing from 10 to 15 degrees of an advance, 

 by the reflection and effect of the sun through the 

 day ; but air should be always admitted, as soon 

 as the range of the thermometer is increased from 8 

 to 10 degrees above the temperature that the house 

 is regulated at by fire heat ; this should be attended 

 to particularly at an early period of the forcing, to 

 prevent either the flower, or wood buds, being forced 

 out in a weak state. About the middle, and latter 

 end of March, the Peaches will be stoning, when they 

 should again be looked over, and thinned to regular 

 distances, say from six to seven inches apart. If the 

 tree is in a vigorous state of growth, a more abundant 

 crop may be taken from it ; and when producing 

 healthy shoots, the quantity of fruit should be pro- 

 portioned accordingly. The use of the syringe, or 

 engine, must be daily applied, and the borders oc- 

 casionally watered throughout the whole process of 

 the forcing season. After the fruit is stoned, and 

 beginning to take their second swelling, the tempe- 

 rature of the house may then be increased to 70 

 degrees, by fire heat, and permitted to get as high 

 as 90 or 95 degrees, with the sun heat ; but, in the 

 latter case, there should be a free circulation of air 

 admitted, which will prevent the trees from sustain- 

 ing any injury by so high a temperature. In follow- 

 ing the above mentioned treatment, I have been 

 enabled to gather ripe Peaches on the 12th day of 

 May, for the last two seasons, and the trees have 

 retained their usual vigour ; and are, at present, 

 (March,) covered with an excellent crop of fruit, 



