340 THE PAEKS AND GAEDENS OF EAEIS. [Chap. XX. 



It is worthy of notice that while the Peach does very well about 

 here as a standard tree, good cultivators find distinct advantages 

 not alone in growing it against a wall, but also in well protecting 

 it when in flower. M. Morel considered that this is of advantage in 

 three ways — firstly, in securing a crop by preserving the flowers 

 from destruction by frost ; secondly, by saving the trees from the 

 disease caused by frosts and sleety rains falling on the young 

 leaves and shoots ; and thirdly, by the tendency which a wide tem- 

 porary coping has in making the tree push more vigorously in its 

 lower than in its upper parts. A wide mat at the top of the wall 

 in spring obscures the light to a considerable extent from the 

 upper part of the wall, and this prevents the sap from running 

 rapidly to the top as it generally does. However, a good trainer 

 can always prevent that. These things are mentioned to show 

 that, even in a climate much better than that of Paris, protection 

 to the wall is considered a necessity. The trees away from walls 

 are often attacked by gum and the " maladies caused by the cold 

 of spring," to use M. Morel's words. Does not this suggest the 

 true cause of the miserable aspect of many Peach-trees where 

 careful protection in spring is not resorted to ? In numerous large 

 British gardens, with every appliance, the walls are often left ex- 

 posed or with the most meagre protection — so that there is nothing 

 to prevent the cold rains of spring from falling on the young 

 leaves and flowers ; while in many Continental gardens, with but 

 a solitary man to attend to them, careful protection is regularly 

 given. Here, too, each espalier Pear-tree is protected in spring by 

 having a cross-bar fixed over it, by the assistance of which and 

 wires, mats are held over the trees during the season of dangerous 

 frosts. 



The portions of the walls here occupied by the old and esta- 

 blished trees were perfectly covered with the healthiest specimens ; 

 even the bases of the stems and the branches had shoots trained 

 over them. The forms most employed are the Palmetto Verrier 

 and the Candelabrum. The pruning is done in winter, when time 

 and weather permit, and not in spring, as is generally the case. 

 There can be little gained by waiting till streams of sap are 

 ascending through the branches, and but slight discernment 

 suffices to distinguish the various kinds of buds in winter as well 

 as in spring. An important jjoint in M. Morel's culture, is that 



