ii^^: 



20 PEUNINO AXD MANAGEMENT OF THE PEACH TREE. 



are already built, the aspects that they have must be made the best of. Hut wjicii a 

 new garden is made, it is well to bear in mind what I have said with regard to asjieot, 

 and consequently to lay out the kitchen-garden in the most suitable manner for build- 

 ing walls iu the best direction for the trees. 



51. "When a Peach wall is built at Montreuil, it is 15 J inches thick at its base, 

 tapering to llf at the top; and about ten feet high. The height is the most con- 

 venient for the square mode of training, that which I recommend. There is no 

 objection to the walls being of a greater height. But experience has shown us that 

 the height I have stated is sufficient ; and it is prudent not to make an outlay too 

 great in proportion to the produce which may reasonably be expected. The walls 

 should be i^lastered on both sides an inch and a quarter thick, so as to admit of nails 

 being driven in training. The walls should have a coping, which is made to project 

 5^ inches for an east aspect, and 6^ inches for the others. This projection is calculated 

 for walls of ten feet high ; but it should be increased in the same proportion if that 

 height be exceeded. It should also be increased by about two inches in walls having 

 a trellis, in order to compensate for the thickness of the latter and its distance from 

 the wall. Copings have the advantage of moderating the flow of sap in all the points 

 of the branches that are nailed immediately beneath them ; of preserving the Peach 

 trees from drij"* ; and of protecting them to a certain extent from spring frosts which 

 cut off the flower, the coping preventing the escape of heat by radiation. 



52. As the west and south aspects are those from which the rains are most to be 

 feared, and which are liable to the strongest action of the sun on the shoots and 

 young leaves of the Peach tree affected by hoar frosts, we augment by means of straw 

 mats the good effects which result from the copings. It is for this reason, that beneath 

 the copings of walls with these two aspects we fjisten supports in the walls about 

 three feet four inches apart. These supports must be two feet long exclusive of the 

 part fastened in the wall. Straw mats of this width are fastened on these supports, 

 when the state of the weather renders them necessary. 



53. In the gardens of private individuals, it is the custom to cover the wall with a 

 trellis of laths, the intervals of which are nine inches and a half by eight inches and 

 a half. This method is advantageous where plaster is scarce, but not so convenient 

 for training as the naked w^all. On this account we do not use trellises at Montreuil, 

 although the keeping the walls in repair and the nails and sheds are not less expen- 

 sive than the trellis. Trellises are also made of iron wire, which answer very well as 

 substitutes for those made of wood ; but they require some care to be taken in tying 

 the shoots to them, which will be noticed when treating of that operation. 



54. For a new plantation, we lay out a border at the foot of the wall five feet six 

 inches to six feet six inches in breadth according to our space. A good quantity of well- 

 rotted dung is laid on ; the ground is trenched to the depth of eighteen inches or two 

 feet, and the soil must be well broken and equally mixed with the dung throughout. 

 Many are in the habit of digging the holes three weeks or a month before planting. 

 I never practise this myself, and I advise no one else to do so. The season for planti 

 is commonly attended with sudden cold rains, which sometimes fill the holes, rend 



