WAL 



W A L 



cular methods, in angles of various forms, and allowed to lower walls; for, as being more ex- 

 projecting more towards the north, to screen oft' posed to strong gales of wind, if th< uot 

 the cold winds ; hut not any method has yet been well built, they are in danger of being blown 

 found which succeeds so well as that of mak- down. The piers in these cases should be pro- 

 inc them straight, and building them in an up- jected the length of a brick in the backside, and 

 ri'dit manner." the thickness of a brick in the front, and be 



C Other schemes of expediting the ripening of built about ten or twelve feet asunder, 



fruits on walls have been tried, such as painting There is, however, no necessity for building 



them black, or of a dark colour, as the d;irk 

 colour is supposed to imbibe more of the sun's 

 rays, and retain the warmth longer. This has, 

 however, on the same principle, answered better 

 in theory than practice. 



Walls, where substantially built, answer 

 much better than those which arc slight, not 

 only in their duration, but also in their warmth. 

 A wall two bricks thick will be found to an- 

 swer better than one brick and a half; and if in 



walls higher than nine or ten feet, unless for 

 pears. 



In building of hot-walls, the ordinary height 

 is usually about ten feet, which is sufficient for 

 any of those sorts of fruits which are generally 

 forced ; for, by forcing the trees, they are mostly 

 weakened in their growth, so that they do not grow 

 so vigorously as those which are exposed to the 

 open air ; and where there is not a quantity of 

 walling planted sufficient to let one part rest 



the buildinc of garden walls they are grouted every other year, the trees are never very healthy, 

 with soft mortar, to fill and close all the joints, and last but a few years. In these walls the 

 the walls will be much stronger, and the air not foundations should be made four bricks and a 

 so easily penetrate through them, as it does half thick, in order to support the flues; other- 

 through those which arc built in the usual man- wise, if part of them rest on brick-work, and 

 n er. the other part on the ground, they will settle 



Tn respect to the aspect for walls in this climate, unequally, and soon be out of order ; for, where - 

 those which have one point to the eastward of the ever there happen any cracks in the flues, through 

 south are the best, as they enjoy the benefit of the which the smoke can make its escape, it will 

 morning sun more, and are less exposed to the prevent their drawing; and if the smoke gets 

 west and south-west winds, which are very in- within the glasses, it will greatly injure the fruit, 

 jurious to fruits, than those which are built due and give it a smoky taste. This thickness of 

 south. wall need not be continued more than six inches 



And the next best aspect is due south, and above the ground, where the foundation or bot- 

 after that the south-east. But as there will, for torn of the first flue should be, which will be 

 the most part, be south-west and west walls, sufficient to raise it above the damps of the 

 these may be planted with some sorts of fruit earth : then the wall may be set off four inches 

 which do not require so much heat to ripen on each side, which will reduce it to the thick- 

 them as those designed for the best walls : but ness of three bricks and a half, so that the back 

 wherever there are north walls, those will only wall may be two bricks thick, which is abso- 

 be proper for baking pears, plums, and morello lutely necessary to throw the heat out more in 

 cherries, for preserving: or duke cherries may be front; for, when the back walls are built too 

 planted against these walls, to continue them thin, the heat escapes through them. The wall 

 longer in the season. in front next to the fruit should be only four 



The usual thickness of building walls with inches thick, whereby there will be an allowance 

 brick is thirteen inches, or a brick andahalf; ofnine inches for the flues, which may be covered 

 but this should be proportionable to the height: with twelve-inch tiles; for, if they have an inch 

 for, if they are built twelve or fourteen feet high and a half bearing on each side, it will be suf- 

 or more, as is often practised, then the founda- ficient. The places in which the fires are made 

 tions of the walls should be at least two bricks must be contrived on the backside of the walls, 

 and a half in thickness, and brought up a foot or which should be in number proportionable to 

 more above the level of the surface of the ground, the length of the walls. The length usually al- 

 of the same thickness; then be set oft' two lowed for each fire to warm is forty feet, though 

 inches on each side, which reduces them to two thev do very well for fifty feet : they should be 

 bricks ; and five or six feet above the surface of shedded over with brick and tile, to keep out the 

 the ground they may be diminished on each wind and rain, otherwise the fires will not burn 

 side, to reduce them to the thickness of a brick equally; and as it is quite necessary to have the 

 and a half ; which must be continued to the fire-places or ovens below the foundation of the 

 top. The piers in these high walls should also first flues, there must be steps down into the 

 be proportionably stronger than is commonly sheds, to come to the mouth of them to supply 



