274 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



as sheep in Kent, and the interest of wild gardening in the grass. 

 Also the orchard turf, by its shade or shelter, or in some way, 

 becomes most welcome nibbling for lambs and calves in the spring. 

 A gain of the orchard in turf is that we can plant it on any ground, 

 however broken or steep, and in many parts of the country there is 

 much ground of this sort to be planted. Now, while we may in the 

 garden or the fruit garden plant trees without stakes, we cannot do 

 so in the grass orchard, because of the incursions of animals ; there- 

 fore staking is needed, not only to support the tall and strong young 

 trees which we ought to plant, but also to guard against various 

 injuries. The best is to use very strong stakes and make them 

 protect and support the trees, and also carry the wire netting which 

 is essential wherever rabbits, hares, goats, or other browsing animals 

 exist. The way to do this is to have a very stout stake Larch 

 or Old Oak. Sometimes in the repairing of old sheds a number of 

 old Oak rafters are rejected excellent for staking young trees in 

 orchards, first digging the hole and putting the stake firmly into a 

 depth of 3 feet below the surface. Cradles of Oak and iron are much 

 in use ; the first is very well in an Oak country where labour is 

 plentiful ; iron is costly and ugly, and not so good as the single 

 stout stake, which is easy to get of Larch or stub Oak in many 

 country places. The common way of tying a faggot of Quicks or 

 any thorny* shrub is often good when done by a good fencer. The 

 trees should be tied with care with soft ropes of straw or jute, and 

 when planted be loosely but carefully wired with netting well out 

 of the reach of browsing animals. This wiring is supported well 

 by the strong stake, and, well done, it keeps rabbits and hares, as 

 well as cattle, at bay, and worse than all for trees, young horses. 

 A usual way in Kent is to drive in three stout stakes, 6 feet or more 

 in height, round the tree, and fasten cross-bars to them. This can 

 be done at a total cost of about lod. a tree, and should last twelve to 

 fifteen years. 



One of the reasons for a good orchard, from the point of view of 



all who care for beauty, is its value for wild gardening. It is so well 



fitted for this, that many times Narcissi and 



The orchard wild other bulbs from the garden have even established 



garden. themselves in its turf, so that long years after 



the culture of the flowers has been given up 



in the garden, owing to changes of fashion, people have been able 



in old orchards to find naturalised some of the most beautiful 



kinds of Narcissi. Where the soil is cool and deep, these flowers 



are easily grown, and in warm soils many of our hardiest and most 



beautiful spring flowers might easily be naturalised. On the cool 



side of the orchard bank, Primrose and Oxlip would bloom long and 



