acting effect of their situation exposes both plant and blossom to perish. If not applied till the decline of summer, it may do some good in assisting fruit to ripen. Pr Gar. p. 596.

Justice highly approves of them for the climate of Scotland; and, as they cost no more in erection than solid walls, it may be advisable in many cases to build them, whether steam or smoke heat should be applied or not. The facility with which the former is applied to walls through recent improvements (627.) is certainly a great argument in their favor. Our opinion is, that in all complete gardens, the whole of the walls should be flued or cellular, (fig. 146.), to admit of the application of artificial heat at pleasure. One boiler and furnace may easily be contrived to supply heat to both the hot-houses and walls.

1068. Cross-walls (fig. 295. a, b,) are introduced where the boundary-wall is not sufficiently extensive to produce the desired quantity of fruit, and also to produce shelter to the garden. They are very generally flued walls in all modern gardens north of London, and are not unfrequently wholly or in part covered with glass. The direction of these walls is almost universally east and west, and their height is determined by the surrounding walls to which they are joined. These cross walls, Nicol observes, are not placed nearer to each other than one hundred feet; if they be two hundred feet separate, it is perhaps better.

1089. Hedges are sometimes introduced instead of cross walls; but it is obvious they possess only two of their advantages, that of affording shelter and shade. Where they are adopted for these purposes, evergreens, as the holly, box, laurel, spruce, &c. are to be preferred to deciduous trees; as from their surface being, at all seasons of the year, more compact than that of deciduous hedges, they are less liable to harbour birds and vermin. No hedge has a finer effect than one of shining green holly, decorated with its coral berries. See Hort. Trans. II. 354.

1090. Garden walls are generally left of the native color of the material of which they are constructed'; but they have been also colored white or black, and the latter color is justly considered as absorbing and refracting more solar heat than any other, and thereby accelerating the maturity, and improving the quality of fruits, (H. Dawes, in Hort. Trans. III. 330.) From various trials, it appears that fruit-walls of every description, in the open air, may be blackened with

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advantage; but under glass, white is preferable, as reflecting light, which is there obtained with more difficulty than heat.

SECT. IX. Ring Fence and Slip.

It

1091. In order to admit the use of the outsides of garden-walls, as well as to obtain a portion of ground in addition to what is inclosed, the walls are surrounded by a ring or boundary fence. This fence may either be an evergreen hedge, paling, low wall, or sunk fence, and with or without a wire-fence to exclude the smaller quadrupeds. may be placed at any distance from the walls, according as accidental circumstances, or the purposes to which it is intended to devote the intervening space, may decree. This space is technically called the slip, and, according to M Phail and most authors, should not be narrower than thirty feet, nor so wide as to throw the plantation for shelter too far off to produce its effect.

"The slip," Nicol observes, "should be at least twenty feet broad, in order to afford a sufficient border for the trees, and a walk; but it may be as much more in breadth as may be necessary to give ground without the space enclosed by walls for the supply of the family, and it may be enlarged on all sides, or on any particular side, for that purpose." Kal. p. 6.

The garden, Forsyth states, should be surrounded with a border, or slip, from forty to sixty feet wide or more, if the ground can be spared; and this again inclosed with

an oak paling, from six to eight feet high, with a cheval-de-frize at top to prevent the people's getting over: it will also strengthen the paling. By making slips on the outside of the garden-wall, you will have plenty of ground for gooseberries, currants, strawberries, &c. You may allot that part of the slips which lies nearest to the stables (if well sheltered and exposed to the sun) for melon and cucumber-beds; and you can plant both sides of the garden-wall, which will give a great addition to the quantity of wall-fruit. Tr. on Fr. Trees, p. 294.

SECT. X. Placing the Culinary Hot-Houses and Melonry.

1092. The situation of these buildings is as various as the size and form of gardens. In very extensive establishments, as at Kew, and the Royal Gardens, Kensington, a garden or walled inclosure is entirely devoted for this department, including also the framing or melonry. In ordinary cases, however, the culinary hot-houses are either placed against the north wall of the garden, or against one or more of the cross-walls, Sometimes they are placed in the slip, which is made wider on purpose, either on the east and west sides of the garden, or to the north, when it is situated on a considerable declivity. Their effect, however, is almost always best when situated within the walls of the garden, either detached or on the north or cross walls. In this way they are sources of greater interest to the proprietor, and come more naturally into the general course of promenade: for it must not be forgotten, that the pleasure or satisfaction derived from even culinary hot-houses, does not wholly consist in being put in possession of certain fruits of excellent quality, (for if so, recourse need only be had to public markets,) but in marking the progress of the trees or plants on which these fruits are grown, in all their different stages; and, as Nicol observes, in being able to say, “ these are the products of my own garden.'

Nicol recommends that culinary hothouses should be placed together in a range with a directly south aspect, or one inclining to the east; and it may be here observed, that what is a desirable aspect for the north and best walls of a garden, will also be the best for the hot-houses. By placing them in a range, "there will be an evident saving in the division or end lights, besides the saving of trouble and work to those who attend to them. Being properly arranged according to their different lengths, breadths, and heights, very much beauty and variety may be given to the whole appearance." Kal. p. 272.

Abercrombie, without determining the local situation of hot-houses, says, "that whereever they are placed, they should stand upon a foundation naturally dry or effectually drained." As to aspect, he adds, the standard principle is, to set the front directly to

the south.

Niel observes, "In many gardens, the hot-houses occupy a considerable part of the south wall, that is, the wall on the north side of the garden. In the area behind them are sheds for tanners' bark, rich mould, and other requisites; while there is a cart-access to the doors of the furnaces, and these with the rubbish necessarily attending the operations of forcing, are completely hid from view. In some places all the forcing-houses form a continuous range; but generally the pine-stove and succession pit, being of different dimensions, are placed separately." Edin. Encyc. art. Hort.

In small and old ill-arranged places, the greenhouse and plant-stove, or botanic hothouses, are united with those destined for culinary products, and this is very suitable, or is rather a matter of necessity in places on a moderate scale; but where variety and effect are taken properly into consideration, the ornamental or curious productions of gardening will be kept separate from those whose beauty consists chiefly or entirely in their utility. In this way two distinct and strongly-marked characters are produced, instead of scenery of a mixed, and as it were neutralized character.

1093. The situation of the melonry is generally in the slip, and where the range of hot-houses are placed on the north wall, and the ground sloping so as to shorten the shadow thrown by this wall in winter when the sun is low, the melonry is with great propriety placed in what may be called a bay of the slip behind the north wall. (fig. 295. c.) This may almost always be the case when the compost ground and melonry are placed adjoining each other, as the part most liable to be shaded may be devoted to the former.

"The reason," Forsyth observes, "for allotting part of the outside slip next the stable for hot-beds, for raising melons and cucumbers, are, first, because there will be no litter to carry in within the walls to dirty the walks; secondly, the beds will not be seen from the garden, and lastly, the convenience of carrying the dung, by which a great deal of time will be saved in carting and wheeling. It will be necessary, especially in exposed situations, to inclose the melon-ground with either a wall or paling from six to eight feet high. It was formerly a practice to inclose melon-grounds with reed-fences; but, although they are tolerably warm, and easily removed from one

place to another (being made in separate pannels), they are very apt to harbour vermin." Tr. on Fr. Tr. p. 295.

In Dalmeny garden, Niel informs us, the melon-ground is situated on the east side of the garden, the garden-wall being extended on the north of it to the same height as the other walls, and flued like the rest of the walls which have a south aspect. The pine-stoves and pits are placed in this melon-ground.

The size of the melon-ground must be proportioned to the garden, and to the demands of the family for the productions of this department.

The mould and compost ground, as above suggested, should generally be combined with the melonry, and will be most convenient, if placed between the pits and hot-beds, and the garden-wall on which the range of hot-houses is placed; and thus, when the melonry is placed in the bay behind the north wall, the compost-ground occupies a space that would otherwise be too much shaded for hot-beds or pits.

1094. The space inclosed by the garden-walls, (fig. 296. a, b,), is usually formed into quarters, or large compartments (d, d,) and borders, or narrow slips (a), running parallel to the walls (b), and walks (c). The magnitude and number, both of quarters and borders, as well as of the walks, depend on the size of the garden, and partly also on the taste of the designer. Rectangular figures are almost

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universally preferred for both. Wall borders are generally formed of the breadth of the height of the accompanying wall; they may be broader, but do not produce a good effect when narrower. In a garden of an acre within the walls, the walks are never less than six feet broad, the surrounding or wall-border from ten to thirteen feet, and the marginal borders from seven to eight feet wide. In the latter, an espalier rail is frequently fixed about five feet from the edging of the wall, in other cases, the trees are planted along the middle of the border, and trained as dwarfs; an alley or path, commonly two feet wide (o), separates the borders from the quarters. In the slip may be formed irregular quarters or borders (q), the gardener's house (g), and the compost and melon-ground (ƒ). The fence on the south side may be an open railing (P), and on the north a wall or close holly hedge, the whole surrounded by a plantation nearer or more distant, according to circumstances. The hot-houses being placed against the north wall (b), behind them are placed the sheds, and on a moderate scale these may contain a working-room (h), fruit and seed-room (e), tool-houses (k), and the furnaces (i). To the open space behind (f), for composts and hot-beds, there should always be a carriage entrance (n), for bringing in earth, fuel, dung, &c. In the centre of the garden may be a fountain or basin of water (m), and in the gardener's house an upper bed-room to overlook the whole. smaller gardens (fig. 297.) the same general plan is adopted as far as their extent admits. Where orrament is to be conbined with use, the standard fruit-trees and shrubs may be planted in borders accompanying the walks (c, c,); but where economy of ground is the object, the trees and shrubs may be collected together in quarters (a, b,), and borders altogether omitted.

In

1095." In laying out the quarters of a garden,"

Forsyth observes, "you must be guided, in a great measure, by the form and size

of the garden; but do not lay them out too small, as in that case a great part of the ground will be taken up with walks and borders. The best figure is a square, or oblong, when the garden is of that form; but if not, they may be laid out in any other figure that is thought to be most convenient.

Some

1096. Abercrombie recommends the borders next the walls to be made "from eight to twelve feet wide, and extended under the walks, by prepared soil, in order to allow a liberal width for the roots to spread without impediment. Next to the borders, leave a space for a walk entirely round the garden, from four to six feet wide. persons also choose to have a border on the inward side of the walk, for the cultivation of espaliers, and esculents of dwarf growth; others divide the central parts at once into main quarters or divisions. The walks or alleys must be regulated by convenience of access. Where the ground is extensive, the centre should be traversed by a walk, with parallel borders, from which cross walks may branch, if necessary.” Pr. Gard. p. 4.

"The borders under the walls should, in the inside, be from ten to twenty feet wide, according to the size of the garden, to give full liberty to the roots of the trees to spread. There should be a foot-path, about two feet and a half from the wall, for the greater convenience of nailing the trees, gathering the fruit, &c. This walk should be

from two, to two feet and a half wide, (to admit a barrow or barrow-engine for watering the trees), and covered with sand; or, which is better, coal--ashes, about two or three inches thick, but without any gravel or rubbish below. Tr. on Fruit-Trees, p. 294.

"The borders for wall-trees," Nicol directs, "should not be less than twelve feet in breadth; but fifteen or eighteen feet is not too much. That is to say, the soil should be prepared for these breadths, if it be not naturally good, and perfectly answerable for the different kinds of trees to be planted.

It

"But it is not enough that the upper soil only be improved. The subsoil must also be attended to, and be laid comfortably dry; otherwise success in the rearing of fruits will be precarious and doubtful. Draining, as before observed, is the basis of every improvement in horticulture, being in the first place the basis of improvement in the soil. In this particular case, of preparing fruit-tree borders, it is indispensable. is also necessary that the roots of the trees be kept out of the subsoil, if it be of a cankering quality, as till, or corroding sand. This matter has appeared evident to many, and various means have been taken to prevent them from getting down to a bad substratum, at much trouble and expense. I shall here submit a method, the least expensive, and most effectual of any which has been successfully practised for several years. "If the subsoil be wet and cankering, let the border be cleared out its whole length, to the depth and breadth before-mentioned. Lay the bottom in a sloping manner from the wall to the walk, giving it a fall of six or eight inches. Run a drain along by the conjunction of the border and walk, a few inches lower than the bottom thus formed, which shall be capable of completely draining off both under and surface-water. may be a rubble-drain, or a box-drain, according to necessity.

It

"Now, lay over the bottom, thus formed and smooth, two inches of good earth; if clayey, so much the better; which pulverize and pass the roller over; then an inch of clean pit or river gravel, which also pass the roller over; another inch of earth, as above, which also roll; and, lastly, an inch of gravel, also, as above. This should be done with the materials rather in a dry state; but now moisten the whole moderately with a watering-pot, and roll until the surface acquires a hard, shining consistency. Keep rolling and watering alternately, till the whole becomes firm and glazed, and till the earth and gravel be intimately mixed and incorporated. Thus may a bed be formed for the roots of fruit-trees, much superior to one of stone or brick, and at an expense greatly less; of a nature more kindly, and which no root will penetrate.

"The compost earth should now be thrown in, having been previously prepared and laid up in a ridge, along the outer edge of the border, before the floor thus made get damaged by wet, or other accidents; and care must be taken that at no future period it be disturbed in digging or trenching the border.

"A fit composition for apples, apricots, cherries, and figs, is, three-fourths hale lightish earth, and one-fourth strong loam; being properly composed, and moderately enriched with cow-dung, or a mixture of cow and hog-dung, or of cow and stabledung; avoiding the latter, however, if the two former can be obtained, for the cooler dungs answer best for fruit-trees. The average depth of the borders for these kinds should be thirty inches.

"Peaches, pears, and plums, require a stronger body of earth. A very fit soil for them is, three-fourths loam, and one-fourth sandy earth, being well mixed, and moderately enriched, as above. The depth for peaches and nectarines may be thirty inches, as above; but for pears and plums, it should not be less than three feet on the average,

that is, two fect nine inches at the walk, and three feet three inches at the wall, or thereby.

Although I have here classed the above fruits, and specified two distinct and particular soils for them; yet, generally speaking, they will all thrive in hale, loamy earth, of a middling texture. But if it be necessary to prepare a bed or floor for the roots of the trees, as above directed, it will rarely happen that it will not also be necessary to add depth to the borders, and a quantity of fresh carth; in doing of which, such compositions as the above may be imitated, or, in better judgment, may be improved. The compost, however, of whatever sort, should be duly prepared before planting the trees, and should be rendered, by frequently trenching and turning it, perfectly homogeneous." Kal. p. 153.

On

"With respect to borders," Niel observes, " in many situations and circumstances, it is found impossible to form a soil for fruit-trees, with the care, and at the unavoidable expence, which have here been supposed. In these cases, it is necessary to adapt the kind of trees to the soil. On soils naturally very light, gravelly, and sandy, peach and nectarine-trees do little good; it is better to plant apricots, figs, or vines, which agree with such soils, and, when trained against a wall having a good aspect, will, in the southern parts of the island, afford excellent crops of fruit. such soils, even espalier and dwarf standard apple-trees are short-lived, subject to blight, and produce only stunted fruit. Next to renewing the soil, the best remedy is to engraft and re-engraft frequently, on the best wood of the trees, giving the preference to grafts, of those kinds which experience has shown to be the most productive and healthy in that particular place. In shallow soils, some have been in the practice of making troughs or hollows, and filling them with rich earth, for the reception of the trees; but this is not to be approved of; the roots of the trees will probably be confined to the trough, and it is possible that water may be retained in it." Edin. Encyc. art. Hort. "The number and breadth of walks," Marshall observes, "must, in a measure, be determined by the quantity of allotted ground, exceeding in these particulars where there is room. But few and wide walks are preferable to many contracted ones. If the garden is small, one good walk all round is sufficient; and if long and narrow, the cross walks should not be many six or eight-feet walks are not too wide for a moderate sized garden."

1097.

After the garden is planned, and laid out into compartments, the borders should have their outer edges, in contact with the walls, made up firm and even. Where the design or intimate communication with the house requires edgings, box is superior to every thing else. In extensive kitchen-gardens, edgings of vegetables, particularly of box, are dispensed with as inconvenient, and apt to harbour slugs. At the same time the margins of the beds and main walks should be kept even, and well-defined; for this purpose, nothing is, more neat and lasting or better fitted to save trouble, than narrow edgings of brick a single course wide. In the interior quarters, parsley may be sown for an edging; so slips of thyme, winter-savory, hyssop, and other aromatic herbs, may be planted; as long as such herbs flourish, or remain ungathered, they form a verdant edging, in character with the kitchen-garden." Pract. Gard. p. 5.

Grass-walks may do where gravel is scarce; but the latter is so clearly preferable, that, except for a little variety in large gardens, where there are many walks, grasswalks will hardly be made choice of, as they are troublesome to keep in order; and if much used are apt to get bare, and out of level, especially when narrow: they are also frequently damp to the feet. Camomile has been used also to form green or carpetwalks, planting it in sets about nine or ten inches asunder; which, naturally spreading, the runners are fixed by walking on them, or rolling. Sand may be adopted for walks, and there is a binding sort of it that does very well; but lay not any of it too thick, as it is the less firm for it. Drift-sand is a good substitute for gravel. Coal-ashes, strewed thinly in the alleys, are better than nothing, as they at least serve to keep the feet dry and clean. If the garden be a strong soil, these ashes (when worn down) should be thrown out of the walks, with a little of the earth, and will prove a good manure for the quarters. Introd. to Gard. p. 35.

"The middle walk," according to Forsyth, "should be about seven feet, which is wide enough to admit a cart; and the others about three or four feet broad, with a border on each side, five or six feet wide, at least, between the walk and the fruit-trees. Walks, in kitchen-gardens, are generally gravelled, and but seldom laid with turf, as the free quent wheeling and treading soon destroys the grass, and renders them very unsightly; but a binding sand makes good walks, and they are easily kept; for when moss or weeds begin to grow, they may be cleaned with a horse-shoe, or scuffled over with a Dutch hoe, in dry weather, and raked a day or two after, by which they will be made always to look neat and clean. I, however, give the preference to sea-coal ashes,