THE PEACH AND NECTARINE UNDER GLASS. 



161 



To counteract, or rather to prevent this evil, the 

 ventilators should he conveniently placed for ad- 

 mitting air in all weathers without producing sud- 

 den depressions or creating a draught, when the 

 young foliage is soft and tender. As soon as the 

 house is started, open the ventilators more or less 

 according to the state of the weather, whenever fire- 

 heat is applied, and close them for a time in the 

 afternoon when it is shut off, always hearing in 

 mind that gentle heat with ventilation is better than 

 a close house without it. Managed in this way the 

 flowers will come on steadily, and open with anthers 

 and pistils strong and fit for their office. Maintain 

 a constant circulation by day and night when the 

 trees are in flower, unless the weather is inclement, 

 and too much fire-heat would be needed to keep the 

 temperature near the mark. When the fruit is set, 

 admit a little air early on fine mornings, gradually 

 increasing it until the maximum, although low, is 

 reached, then as gradually reduce, and finally close 

 when the house is damped or syringed in the after- 

 noon. As the sun gains power, more air will be 

 needed to prevent the house from getting too hot, 

 but never to lower the temperature if it can be 

 avoided, as sudden checks from this cause are very 

 injurious. After the stoning is complete, air freely 

 through the early part of the day, and shut up close 

 with sun-heat and moisture for two or three hours 

 in the afternoon. This closing with solar heat will 

 help the fruit forward without producing weak, long- 

 puinted wood, while time so gained will allow the 

 trees to rest in a low temperature through the night. 



Before the Peaches begin to colour, raise all that 

 can be placed on the top of the trellis apex upwards, 

 and support them with short pieces of lath resting 

 on the wires, and from this time admit a regular 

 supply of air to increase the colour and flavour. The 

 more air that can be admitted without lowering the 

 temperature, the better will be the colour; and a 

 perfectly-coloured Peach is, as a rule, perfect in 

 flavour. As soon as all the fruit is gathered, more 

 liberal ventilation will benefit the trees, until the 

 time arrives for throwing all the lights open or 

 stripping the house. Mid-season houses require 

 equally as much care as early ones through the 

 early stages ; but when fine summer weather sets 

 in, air may be admitted on a very liberal scale. In 

 fine, settled weather, the flavour of the fruit is 

 greatly improved by full exposure to the sun ; but 

 on no account must a ripening Peach be reached by 

 spots of rain, otherwise the tender cuticle will be 

 bruised and disfigured. Late houses are generally 

 thrown open to retard the fruit through its early 

 stages, as it can then be kept back to the benefit of 

 the trees, while shading to retard it after it is ripe 

 robs it of its flavour and injures the trees. 

 83 



Syringing.— When Peach-houses are closed for 

 forcing, atmospheric moisture becomes necessary. 

 This may be supplied in two ways : first, by the direct 

 syringing of the trees ; and secondh r , by damping 

 the paths, floors, and walls of the house, and the in- 

 troduction of fermenting material after it has been 

 properly worked and purified from injurious gases. 

 The evils of both too much water and too little have 

 been described under The Orchard House, p. 131, 

 Vol. III. To steer clear of these evils, the early 

 house should be well syringed with tepid water 

 before noon, up to the flowering period, and damped 

 down once or twice when fire-heat is continued 

 throughout the day. Add to this the warm vapour 

 and ammonia set at liberty by frequently turning 

 the fermenting material, and the atmosphere will be 

 more genial to the early trees than constant cold 

 saturation. 



When early trees are in flower, a dry warm 

 atmosphere is recommended ; but this is liable to 

 be carried to an excess in cold frosty weather, when 

 constant fire-heat is necessary. Although direct 

 syringing might be as fatal to perfect fructification 

 as cold cutting draughts, this does not dispose of the 

 fact that an over- dry atmosphere distresses the 

 tender and delicate organs of the flowers before they 

 have properly performed their office. Therefore, 

 through this stage also, moderate moisture from 

 damping on all fine days, and the assistance of fer- 

 menting leaves with ventilation, will favour a good 

 set of fruit. 



As soon as the critical part of the work has been 

 got over and the young fruits begin to swell, regular 

 syringing on all fine dry mornings, and again when 

 the house is shut up in the afternoon with solar 

 heat, will be necessary. But the syringing should 

 always be perfoimed in time for the foliage to get 

 dry during the hours of daylight. From this time 

 till the fruit begins to change for ripening, vigorous 

 syringing, with pure soft water if it can be obtained, 

 must not be neglected, or the foliage will become in- 

 fested with spider. If pure soft water cannot be 

 had, then other water, free from calcareous matter 

 in suspension, must be used, as the sediment from 

 hard water containing lime marks the woolly coats 

 of the Peaches, and renders them unsightly when 

 ready for use. When the trees through bad man- 

 agement are attacked by red spider, the syringing 

 must be most vigorous to dislodge it. Then, and 

 then only, for a few nights in succession, the parts 

 affected may be kept constantly wet to destroy the 

 web and render this drought-loving enemy's position 

 untenable. During the time the fruit is ripening, 

 syringing must be discontinued ; but after it is 

 gathered, the garden engine or hose will be found 

 useful in cleansing the trees of all accumulations 



