Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1910 — USE GLASS WALLS IN ORCHARD. [ARTICLE]

USE GLASS WALLS IN ORCHARD.

Fruit Trees on Botk Sides Have Warmth of Snn’a Hay a. When vines and trees are trained in espaliers on the south side of a wall the north face of the wall is usually wasted, although it can be used for the cultivation of varieties of apples, pears and cherries which are hardy and not subject to rot. If a transparent wall could be used plants growing on both sides of it would receive the benefit of the sun’s rays. Some experiments have been made with glass walls. Count de Croiseul recently published the results of such an experiment, with photographs showing heavily fruited pear treek on both Bides of the transparent wall. The wall, which is about sixty feet long and six and a half feet high, was erected in 1901. Each side of it was planted with fifteen pear trees of the variety Doyenne d’hiver (Winter Doyen), giving a wall area of 232 square feet to each tree. In 1907 the trees on the south side bore 134 pears weighing 91 pounds and the trees on the north side bore 109 years weighing 77 pounds. All the pears were of very fine appearance and without blemish, and the pears from the horth side were smoother than the others. In the nursery of Croux et Fils is a glass wall which is surmounted by horizontal glass sashes and planted with the same varieties of peaches, apples and pears on each side. These espaliers also began bearing in 1907, and both sides have produced equallfr fine fruit. The difference in temperature between the sides of the wall Is not very great, as the southern face reflects less heat and is therefore cooler than that of a masonry wall, while the northern aide is warmed by the rays which pass through the glass. A masonry wall possesses, theoretically, one advantage over a glass wall, as it absorbs during the day a greater quantity of heat and consequently exerts a greater heating effect at night. Longer experience will be required to determine which material is better on the whole. The cost of construction is practically the same for both.