26 FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDEN. 



tion of ornamental shrubs and large perennial border- 

 flowers. 



Form. The shape of a garden, it is obvious, must 

 chiefly be determined by the nature of the situation, and 

 the taste of the proprietor. In general, gardens are either 

 squares or oblongs, chiefly, it is presumed, because walls 

 of this configuration contain the greatest space within the 

 least perimeter, a result of very questionable value. They 

 may be of any form, with this limitation, that attention 

 should be paid to facilitating the transport of manures 

 and garden products, for when the grounds are straggling, 

 or complicated in structure, the labor of cultivation is 

 much increased. 



Exterior Fence. Most English gardens are encircled 

 by an outer boundary, formed by a sunk wall or ha-ha, 

 surmounted by an invisible wire-fence to exclude hares, or 

 by a hedge or paling. Occasionally this sunk wall is 

 placed on the exterior of the screen plantations, and walks 

 lead out among the trees, to give favorable views of the 

 adjacent country. Although the interior garden necessa 

 rily receives its form from the walls, the ring-fence and 

 plantations may, with propriety, be adapted to the shape 

 and surface of the ground. The spaces between the outer 

 fence and the walls are, as already noticed, called Slips, 

 and, where circumstances render it eligible, a considerable 

 extent of ground is sometimes included, and appropriated 

 to the culture of small fruits, and kitchen vegetables. If 

 possible, the gardener s house should be situate here, as 

 being convenient for him, and as tending to scare depre 

 dators. 



Walls. For the production of the finer fruits, such as 

 peaches, apricots, figs, hardy grapes, and most of the 

 delicate French and Flemish pears, the aid of walls is in- 



