70 PRACTICAL GAEDENING. 



THE OECHAED. 



The true orchard should be laid down in grass, except 

 only a border round the outside, which should be walled for 

 trees of the more tender kind, as vines. It is not always 

 that we can have everything we desire ; but we are speaking 

 of a proper orchard. The walls should be from eight to ten 

 feet high at the least, and appropriate trees should be 

 planted according to the aspect. IS'ectarines, peaches, apri- 

 cots, and plums should be on the sides most exposed to the 

 sun; cherries, especially morellos, on the walls which have 

 the least ; not that they would not all be better for a warm 

 aspect, but that some will do well on the north-east, against 

 which others would not succeed at all. It would be necessary 

 to hurdle off the borders, if it were contemplated to turn 

 sheep out for the grass ; but the grass might be always cut 

 and made into hay, or carried to be consumed green. It is 

 common, however, to use the ground for garden or field- 

 crops, the first three or four years after planting, until the 

 trees grow up a little, and to lay it doAvn in grass when they 

 have become robust enough to sustain no damage from sheep. 

 Choice op Trees. — Much of the labour in forming an 

 orchard depends on the soil ; for if it be not appropriate, — 

 that is to say, if the soil be not good, and of tolerable depth, — 

 sufficient must be removed for every tree, and proper soil be 

 provided. The standard trees ought to consist of the best 

 pears, apples, cherries, the rougher kind of plmns, damsons, 

 medlars, a quince or two ; and the proportion must be ac- 

 cording to the probable wants of a family. Suppose an 

 orchard to comprise an acre, make a ten-feet border all round, 

 and plant no tree more than ten feet from the edge of the 

 border. As room is an object, let the trees be planted in 

 rows from east to west, not less than a rod apart in the rows, 

 nor less than two rods from row to row. The walls may not 

 be even, but the planting should be, though it may be dia- 

 gonally. It will be obvious that the fruit wiU derive more 

 advant^e from the sun in such an arrangement than by any 

 other ; and it will be found that when they are becoming 

 full-grown, they will almost touch each other in the rows, 

 while the double distances between the rows will give them 

 great advantages. It wiU be found, generally, that there may 



