November 8, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
393 
fruits do not ripen satisfactory crops against walls the only safe way 
is to grow them under glass. Everybody knows this, but there is 
an assumed advantage in striving to grow Peaches and Nectarines 
against walls—viz., in having them much later than would be the 
case where they are grown under glass. Such, however, is not the 
tact, though we readily grant that if the cultivator wishes to hasten 
the ripening of the fruit it is readily effected by husbanding the 
sun s heat in early closing the ventilators; but by making efficient 
provision for ventilation (which does not always receive the attention 
it demands, or not until afterwards), and tinder proper management 
the fruit can be had from trees under glass quite as late, if not 
later, and of better quality as well as appearance as the fruit on 
open walls. 
. Where a good return is the first consideration houses of the 
simplest description consistent with stability and efficiency, well 
glazed and properly ventilated, may invariably be depended upon 
for giving full crops of Peaches and Nectarines of the finest quality. 
They are not more expensive than walls, but where those exist they 
can be covered with glass at a cheaper rate than erecting new ones, 
as the wall is certainly equivalent to one side of the cost of a span, 
with the disadvantage that it will only give half the fruit. I by no 
means wish to discourage covering walls with glass, yet I cannot 
forbear drawing attention to the fact that narrow houses erected to 
shelter trees against a wall are not the best means of doing so, as 
with a wider house trees almost as large can be accommodated on 
a crescent-shaped trellis in front, and that without any detriment 
to the trees against the wall. Narrow lean-to’s may have their 
advantages, as I was reminded the other day by an enthusiast, as, 
besides protecting the Peach trees on the wall, a narrow house 
accommodated a row of Tea Roses along the front, blooming early 
and late, and was a capital place for Violets, where they bloomed the 
whole winter long. Our friend found the front of these narrow 
houses. suitable for late Strawberries, famous for a row of Peas, to 
cope in long before those in the open, and for wintering salads. 
Still I consider that walls can be of more use in gardens than as 
supports for glass houses. Surely Pears are valuable after summer 
fruits are over, and what position is more suitable for them in 
unfavourable localities than a south wall ? 
Why cannot we have the roofs of houses made to cover Peach 
walls so that the whole of it could be removed in a very short time, 
and as quickly replaced ? I know there are some that answer this 
description, but I think it would be an advantage if they could be 
made to run up or down as quickly as the old-fashioned sliding lights. 
The advantages sought would consist in the 1 ref s being exposed to 
rains, cleansing the foliage and thoroughly moistening the roots, 
which would considerably lessen the necessity for syringing and 
watering. 
Wide borders are not necessary, in fact are injurious, as the 
trees do better when the roots are restricted than when having the 
run of unlimited space. Requiring very copious suppl es of water 
when in growth, good drainage is essential, 9 inches to a foot 
thickness of biickbats answering perfectly if there be drains below 
it to carry off superfluous water, the drainage being secured by a 
layer of turf grass side downwards, and 2 feet depth of soil is ample. 
Strong calcareous loam with a liberal admixture of old lime rubble 
put together firmly will produce clean, healthy, short-jointed growths 
thickly set with triple buds. 
The conditions requisite to keep the trees in a healthy bearing 
state are few, as to insure thoroughly ripened wood biennial lifting 
or root-pruning should be adopted. Fan-traiuing on a trellis 
12 inches, and not more than 15 inches from the glass, answers best, 
as at this distance the fruit and wood get the fullest benefit of heat 
and light. Disbudding should be practised early, and should be 
somewhat severe, as it is important that the wood for future bearing 
should be trained in rather thinly, so that it has full exposure to light 
and air. Overcrowding, especially in late houses, is fatal to the 
ripening of the wood, hence no more wood should be allowed than 
can have proper exposure. The trees should be pruned as soon as 
the last fruits on each tree are gathered, cutting out the bearing 
wood of the current year, leaving those only that are required for 
next year’s crop or extension ; and after this the house should be 
kept dry and warm in the daytime by moderating the ventilation, 
but keeping it cool at night by admitting air more or less, continuing 
this until the foliage is ripe, when the ventilators may be thrown 
open for the winter, and if the trees could be exposed for a time by 
removing the lights it would be an advantage. 
As spring approaches the flowering should be retarded as much 
as possible to keep them safe from spring frosts, and when ready 
artificial impregnation should be resorted to, to insure a good set ; 
but where there are bees it will not be necessary, and the house 
should be freely ventilated. To insure fine fruit mulch the border 
with short manure, and water copiously when the fruit is swelliug, 
and insects must be kept down by forcible syringings. Overcropping 
is a great evil, a fruit to every square foot of trellis covered by the 
trees being ample. 
As to the selection of varieties, much will depend upon the means. 
In large gardens where there are several houses, and there succeed 
them, such varieties as *Grosse Mignonne, Belle Bauce, * Royal 
George, Noblesse, Bellegarde, Barrington, ’'‘Stirling Castle, Violette 
IIdrive, Late Admirable, and *Walburton Admirable. To these may 
be added Sea Eagle, Lord Palmerston, Princess of Wales, DesseTardive, 
Golden Eagle, and Osprey, all of which are large, good-looking, and for 
late varieties not bad in flavour. In gardens that rely on a supply 
of fruit from the middle of July from walls or an unheated house, 
such varieties as *Alexander, *Hale’s Early, Early Alfred, *Dr. Hogg, 
Dagmar, Rivers' Early York, Early Grosse Mignonne, Dymond, 
A Bee, Condor, and Goshawk may be added to those named, which 
all but the two last-named will precede. If only a few are wanted 
those marked with an asterisk will give a supply in ordinary seasons 
from the middle of July to a similar time in October, or for three 
months. 
Perhaps there is nothing so undesirable in small establishments 
as large trees. They give a glut, and there is no succession. Trees 
of moderate size are most serviceable and more easily managed than 
large trees in the matter of root-pruning and lif ,ing; in fact, a tree 
of each of those named could be grown in a sma’l house as single or 
double oblique cordons, and which is so characteristically exemplified 
in the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Chiswick.—G. Abbey. 
STOKING—FUEL—GAS AND OIL STOVES. 
I Am pleased to see Mr. Inglis’s letter on the economy of stoking, as 
some of the points referred to are more important than many think or 
will admit. An instance in point has just occurred with a boiler 
recently supplied. Complaint was made that the fire (made up at 
9 p.m.) had burnt out and the pipes were quite cold long before six in 
the morning. The boiler was properly set, and there was said to be a 
perfect draught, as the chimney “roared again.” Here was the fault 
plainly visible, but the man could not see it. “ A furnace was no use 
if you could not make it roar up the chimney,” so he had been taught in 
the old days of flue-heating, and consistently practised. The boiler was 
condemned as a failure, it must be returned, &c. After much persuasion 
the damper was nearly closed and very little air was admitted under 
the fire. With a few trials the fire kept in over twelve hours, but the 
pipes were scarcely warm. The other extreme had been reached—there 
was too slow a combustion, and a common coal was used which gave 
very little heat; but the fault was chiefly in not having raised the heat 
early enough in the evening. Again, the man was begged to make a 
good fire and the pipes thoroughly hot by 6 P.M., opening the roof 
ventilators an inch for a few minutes if the temperature became too 
high, after that to increase the air supply under the fire, and bank up 
(which always reduces the heat), when it was found that the fire kept in 
and the pipes comfortably hot till seven the next morning. Less fuel 
was burnt, less labour required, and a more regular heat obtained than 
with the “roaring fire.” A special test in an almost empty house some 
time ago showed that when closed one afternoon the thermometer stood 
at 62°, three hours later it had fallen to 45°. A fire was lighted and 
raised it to 50° in two hours, then fire made up for the night, and the 
next morning there was registered a maximum of 52° and a minimum 
of 40°. The next day the fire was lighted, when the house was closed 
at 60° ; in three hours it was 55° ; it was then made up and left for the 
night, the range registered in the morning being from 58° to 50°. Precisely 
the same quantity and class of fuel was used in each case, the outside 
minimum being 1° lower on the second occasion. 
As to Fuel .—A gentleman had a large boiler fixed for twelve houses, 
and determined nothing should be spared in the way of good fuel. Best 
coal and coke were mixed, but the conduct of that boiler or its fire was 
decidedly erratic for a long time : but on examination it was explained, 
through the coke being thrown in just as it came, sometimes large lumps 
that would not burn through, and then small pieces with an excess of 
coal burning quickly. Small broken coke and breeze was advised, with 
a harder coal equally mixed, when an improvement was manifest at 
once, and ultimately common breeze alone, costing 3s. a ton (or chaldron, 
I forget which) besides its cartage, was found most satisfactory at half 
the cost or less. 
Flues .—A boiler was replaced elsewhere by one of greater nominal 
power, having the 6ame size of fire-box but one-third more piping on, 
and the same class of fuel (anthracite and coke) was burnt, but sufficient 
heat was not attainable. On inquiry I found that less fuel was being 
burnt to do more work ; but the man said it would not burn more, which 
was true. The previous boiler had an upper flue in it, and thence over 
the top direct to the chimney, in which you could “ hear it roar.” The 
new boiler had inner flues and then underneath, making three times the 
distance to the chimney, which was too short for good draught, con¬ 
sequently the fire burnt too slowly. Five feet was added to the chimney 
shaft, the coke broken small, and now the extra pipes are heated well 
with the same fuel as formerly. 
Gas or Oil .—The importance of raising heat early in the evening is 
more marked, and most necessary where gas or oil is used as fuel, as, 
owing to the less surface acted upon by flames, a less degree of heat is 
of course obtainable. Many persons who have bought a gas apparatus 
