ENGLISH ADVICE 353 



BUSH-FRUITS. Plantations of these are usually made 

 outside the walled- in garden, either below orchard trees or 

 in the open ground. The latter is much preferable, as they 

 can receive better treatment and safer protection from 

 birds. The last mentioned consideration is an important 

 one. Where choice dessert fruit is required it must of 

 necessity remain on the trees until fully ripe, and some of 

 it has to remain as long as possible after ripening, to pro- 

 long the season of use. With these the birds are extremely 

 troublesome. The best way of protecting them, and also 

 the cheapest in the long run, is to cover the plantation with 

 galvanized wire netting.* Erect sufficient posts, and stretch 

 from these galvanized wire at a height of six feet from the 

 ground. Then across the wires fix the netting. Wire it 

 together, and fasten it to the ground all round. If erected 

 as above, it allows any one to work inside to prune, clean 

 and gather, etc. whilst effectually preventing birds from 

 approaching the fruit. 



"The position of the bush-fruit outside the walled-in 

 garden would, of course, depend upon circumstances, but 

 it can generally be arranged very close at hand, and in con- 

 junction with it, the sea-kale and rhubarb beds, etc., which 

 are somewhat untidy in the spring, owing to the copious 

 application of manure, etc., required. The soil for the 

 bush -fruits should be prepared by trenching and manuring 

 as described for the inside kitchen garden." 



In the Old World, trees are trimmed in the nur- 

 sery to adapt them to particular modes of train- 

 ing. In fact, the training is often begun there. 

 Fig. 235 is a young peach tree trained for a palm 

 shape. The main shaft is supported by a stake, 

 and two long stakes are attached to it, like a 



*A bird-netting is made in this country. See "Principles of Fruit- 

 Growing," 296. L. H. B. 

 W 



