FEBRUARY. 
51 
ORCHARD HOUSES. 
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The very interesting account of the orchard-house at Stansted Park 
offers such an agreeable contrast to the croaking “ Few Words about 
Orchard-houses,” in your November number, by “ Pomona”—a mas¬ 
culine Pomona, however, who has, I believe, neither orchard-houses nor 
trees in pots—that one is tempted to offer a few more words ” about 
the assertions by “ Pomona.” He says, To attempt to grow Grapes 
in span-roofed houses not heated will end in disappointment.” I grow 
a large quantity for my own family in three houses not heated ; the 
Grapes never fail to ripen, and are always, from the free ventilation, 
first-rate in quality. At Stansted Park “ fine and well-ripened Black 
Hamburgh Grapes” have been grown in this way, “ a proof that it is 
not necessary to heat orchard-houses to get ripe Grapes.” This seems 
decisive enough, and “ Pomona” ceases to be any authority in orchard- 
house culture; still allow me to notice one or two other remarks by the 
same person. My glass roofs resting on posts (see former volume), 
and filled in with Arbor-vitee hedges, are very recent erections, built 
for a special purpose, i.e., to grow young fruit-trees in, and to retard 
mid-season Peaches—which they do most effectually; my houses with 
shutters, “ more recently erected,” according to “ Pomona,” were 
among the first orchard-houses I built. 
I do not “ give liberal doses of liquid manure,” finding it quite 
unnecessary; the annual dressing I give the trees with tenacious loam 
and dung, and a surface dressing of the latter, give all the vigour that 
can be wished for. By the way, I have reason to believe that the loam 
often used for potted fruit trees is too light and sandy, which will often 
bring on the curl and aphis in spring ; if so, in potting it should be well 
rammed down with a wooden pestle, not only when the trees are 
potted, but also in the spring when part of the old compost is taken out 
and the annual dressing is given. The recommendation given at p. 18 
to plant the trees out in the borders of large houses, is sound and good, 
but Peaches and Nectarines planted out require good management; if 
the soil be light and rich, they are, even with the most skilful root 
pruning, apt to grow too vigorously and irregularly. A stiff, tenacious 
loam, with a small quantity of manure, is the best compost for the 
border, when the trees are planted out; and biennial, or even annual 
removal, better than root-pruning done imperfectly, for one small root 
left unpruned will give astonishing vigour. The Dutch gardeners force 
their Peach trees that are annually removed, and procure fine fruit, and 
there is no doubt but Peach and Nectarine trees, planted out in a large 
orchard-house, may be kept in fine order by annual removal in 
November; the border they are planted in may then be made more 
light and rich with manure than if it is intended to allow the trees to 
grow without removal. It is now about twelve years since I planted 
my first orchard-house trees in a house twelve feet wide— (en passant, 
I planted the trees a year before I built the house)—a path along the 
centre, and a row of trees (Peaches and Nectarines) on each side ; the 
effect was beautiful—they grew well and bore quantities of fine fruit. 
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