204 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



so arranged as to break the north and north-east winds ; but I am 

 far from wishing to see our peach-trees surrounded by a wall of 

 vegetation, depriving them of every healthy breeze that blows from 

 whatever quarter. There are many amongst our present race of 

 cultivators, many who have yet to learn much of the true and pre- 

 carious character of the peach, for it is one of those subjects that 

 will not adapt itself to all kinds of treatment and to a great variety 

 of circumstances, and there are very few prepared to acknowledge 

 its power of endurance, or its capability to resist cold when judi- 

 ciously managed. 



Of those positions which are known to be unfavourable for its 

 siiccessful cultivation, the most prominent is a damp, low-lying 

 district, or where there is a body of water near at hand. To con- 

 tend successfully against either of these requires skill of the highest 

 order, and, liappily for the reputation of our gardeners, we know of 

 men who are now battling against such adverse circumstances, and 

 are producing results eminently creditable to them. But to recom- 

 mend the choice of such a spot for the general cultivator, would 

 be soon to bring the whole subject into disrepute. I say, then, 

 avoid them if possible, for it is the opinion of all who understand 

 our climate, and who also understand the peach, that the naturally 

 humid atmosphere of such places is highly injurious to it. Expe- 

 rience annually teaches us that spring frosts are more intense in 

 low damp p]aces than on more elevated positions ; hence the necessity 

 of choosing the latter. 



Peach Walls seem to demand a paragraph here. It is a subject 

 on which mistakes are often committed by the inexperienced cul- 

 tivator, for there are those who have an impression that they will do 

 equally well against a six or eight feet wall as they will upon one 

 three or four feet higher. But this is erroneous, as there is not 

 upon such low wall sufficient space for the proper development of 

 the tree ; and to keep them down to suit the dimensions of the wall, 

 entails such a mutilation of some of the best wood every year, that 

 it in time must exercise an unfavourable influence upon the health 

 of the tree. A ten or twelve feet wall is the least height that I 

 should recommend, and generally this will be found to suit every 

 purpose ; but, for those who may wish it, I may state that I have 

 seen them admirably done upon fourteen-feet walls ; but whatever 

 may be the height decided upon, it should be borne in mind that the 

 calculations here made are only up to the coping of the wall, as they 

 are usually carried a few inches above this point. In speaking of 

 coping, this ought to project at least three inches out from the wall, 

 but four would be a better distance. Various materials are used for 

 this purpose, but there is nothing better for the preservation of the 

 wall than tiles made expressly for that purpose, and properly called 

 coping tiles. Some, perhaps, may want to know the utility of this 

 coping. It is essential for the preservation of the wall by carrying 

 off the water, and also acts as a safeguard to the trees against storms 

 and in a measure protects them from slight frosts. 



The Bordek. — I will take next for our consideration the peach 

 border. On the proper preparation of this depends in a great mea- 



