214 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Bonds from one side to the other should be 

 4 \ by 3 feet; if stout, they are useful to hold 

 planks, on which baskets can be placed over- 

 head in the roof. To receive the vertical thatch 

 a side board is attached 6 inches wide from the 

 ground to roof, in which the thatch is placed 

 upright, and it is kept in position by lateral 

 splints of wood 3 feet by 1, shown in engrav- 

 ing. 



The thatch may be 18 inches thick on the 

 roof and 6 inches at the sides, and where it can 



be procured, carex or reed is strongest and most 

 lasting, but it may be of wheat-straw or heather. 

 The eaves should project a good way, to protect 

 from damp. 



Doors. — An inside and outside door should be 

 provided. They must be made to fit closely, to 

 exclude draughts. 



Windows. — In order to allow of an inspection 

 of the fruit, windows of 21-oz. glass are inserted, 

 and this saves the use of a candle at storing- 

 time, but outside shutters are provided to keep 



Fig S76.— Bunyard's Fruit-room (interior). 



the place as dark as possible. A fruit-room is 

 perhaps better without windows. 



Ventilation is provided by an opening under 

 the apex of the roof at each end, 1 inch by 9 

 inches, a small opening being left between the 

 dairy shutters which can be stopped by hay or 

 moss in severe weather. The inside should be 

 protected by perforated zinc, fine enough to 

 keep out wasps and flies. 



Thieves and Rats. — In order to protect the 

 contents, a half-inch stout wire netting should 

 be fastened to the matchboard outside, so that 

 an entry would be difficult. This is advisable 

 also to keep out rats. 



Inside shelves on which to lay the fruit are 

 readily fixed at the sides; first place uprights 

 2 inches by 1J inch from the ground to the 

 roof, and then attach bearers 2 feet by f on 

 this to the quartering. AVe find 1 foot between 

 the shelves a very convenient distance. This 

 places the lowest shelf 6 inches from the ground, 



making six in all up to the eaves. The shelves 

 are made of f-inch matchboard, and need not 

 quite meet each other, so as to allow a slight 

 circulation of air. Upon these we place lengths 

 of clean wheat-straw, so that the fruit shall not 

 quite touch the shelves. In the centre of the 

 fruit-room we have a narrow table with a raised 

 edge, and made of three lengths wide of match- 

 board, set on trestles; this is useful for special sorts. 



Names. — Get a slip of zinc 4 inches long, turn 

 up one end 1 inch, at an angle of 45°, and then 

 slit this angle three times and bend it so that 

 it will hold a neat card; the other end can be 

 slipped under the straw. 



The fruit must never be wet when stored, and 

 should be handled very carefully and laid singly 

 on the shelves, but in the case of small Apples 

 (Russets, &c.) they will keep well three or four 

 thick. Carefully overlook from time to time 

 and remove rotten or spotted fruit, and keep 

 the floor always damp. 



