noon of bright days. After the seeds begin to form it will be well to either top-dress the plants with horse or sheep manure or to apply liquid manure. If the crop set is a large one, the surplus fruits should be removed. The distance at which they should be left will depend both on the growth of the plant and the number of fruits upon it, but except for the cherry and plum they should not be less than six inches apart, and if well distributed a single fruit upon a shoot or spur will be ample. After the crop has been gathered and the end of the growing season approaches, water should be gradually withheld and all the ventilation possible should be given. This will aid the trees in ripening their growths and in securing firm fruit buds that will be less likely to be affected by changes of temperature during the winter, than when they are loose and open. If in pots it is often well to place the trees outside for a few weeks in the fall, but they should be returned to the houses before severe freezing weather comes. During the winter they may be packed closely together and the space that they occupied in the summer can then be used for some other crops. During the winter the trees should be pruned. This will consist in cutting the new growth back about three-fourths and the thinning out of surplus shoots. In the case of the peach and nectarine, especially, this should be thoroughly done. After they have been pruned, it will be well to spray the trees thoroughly with a strong solution of copper sulphate, and just before the buds start Bordeaux mixture can be used to advantage. For aphides and other insects that may appear, the usual remedies should be used. While the labor of watering can be lessened by plunging the pots to their rim, during the summer, in a light litter of some kind, care must be taken that the roots are kept in the pots, and it will be desirable to have them rest upon a couple of bricks or some similar supports. While the pear, cherry and plum can be grown best in pots, the peach and nectarine should either be placed in large boxes, or planted out in a border. This should be prepared to the depth of two feet and its surface will need to be top dressed once or twice each year. If in lean-to, or three-quarter span, houses the trees may be trained upon the north wall, or on trellises just beneath the glass if even-span, but as a rule the pyramidal form of tree will be preferable. During the summer, after all danger of frost is over, no attention need be paid to ventilating the houses, the full air being left on, except when cold, chilly winds prevail. In the winter, after the trees have ripened, the sash should be handled with the idea of protecting the trees from extremes of temperature, ventilation being desirable on warm or bright days to prevent the swelling of the buds. In selecting varieties of peach for forcing, only those of high quality should be taken, Early Rivers, George IV, Mountain Rose, Grosse Mignonne, Oldmixon, Early and Late Crawford, Foster and Elberta being among the best sorts for the purpose. Any of the better varieties of apricots and nectarines can be used, and any of the pears that succeed on dwarf stocks, such as Souvenir du Congres, Louise Bonne (Fig. 89), Angouleme and Anjou, will give satisfaction. Among the plums the choice should be made from among the Gage (Fig. 90) varieties and such other sorts as Diamond, Czar, Coe's Golden Drop, Grand Duke and Monarch. CHAPTER XXI. MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS. For If one does not have even the simple form of veranda conservatory described in Greenhouse Construction, fairly good success can be obtained with a few house plants, with either a southern or western exposure. most flowering plants the windows opening to the south are preferable, even to those with a western outlook, as, during the short days of winter, the plants in the latter will have but little sun, and then it will be too low down near the horizon. For a few plants, the windows looking to the east may be used, and for ferns and similar shade-loving sorts they are desirable. While the north windows may be used for some of that class of plants, it is not a desirable exposure. In case a bay-window upon the south side of the living room can be obtained for flowers (Fig. 91), very good results can be secured. It should be separated from the room by glass doors, that can be thrown open or closed, at pleasure, but in case they are not to be had, much of the labor of keeping the plants in good condition can be saved if curtains are provided, to be used when sweeping. In addition to hooks for hanging baskets and bracket stands for pot plants, it will be well to have a shelf, from one to two feet in width, according to dimension of the window, upon which to arrange the smaller plants. This should have side pieces one to two inches high, and a zinc lining. The bottom could then be covered with coarse gravel or fine pebbles, and a much better growth could be secured, as the plants in small pots would then be less likely to dry out. A simple propagating bed can be very easily arranged by supplying the necessary clean sand, and a lamp to furnish bottom heat, unless heating pipes run along under the shelf, when they would only need to be boxed in. In case the lamp is used, it will be necessary to provide some sort of a shield to prevent it from setting fire to the wooden shelf. A shallow galvanized iron pan filled with plaster, suspended above the lamp and close to the bottom of the shelf, will answer the purpose. If an ordinary window is to be used, it will be well to have a similar shelf, at the hight of the window sill. If made two or three feet longer than the window is wide, it will hold a considerable number of plants. For the bay window and the common window as well, if the size of the room admits of it, a plant stand with shelves in the form of stairs, or with a flat top, can be used to good advantage to display the larger plants. By having it arranged with casters, if the plants that require a high temperature are kept upon it, on cold nights it will be an easy matter to roll it back away from the window and thus save the tender plants from becoming chilled. SOIL FOR AND CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS. In a general way, the directions given for greenhouse plants will apply to those grown in the dwelling. In the village or city, where it is difficult to obtain a suitable compost, the admixture of street sweepings with fresh garden loam will answer very well, although, if only a small amount is needed, it will be better to obtain some prepared compost from a florist. Unless new pots are used, they should be well soaked and scrubbed, to remove the mold that usually forms on them, and thus open the pores. A failure often results from using too large pots, as a small plant growing in a large quantity |