WALL-BORDERS ORCHARDS. 35 



peculiarly desirable, and they obviate the chilling effects 

 of radiation to a considerable extent. 



The laying out of the area of the garden in walks, bor- 

 ders, and compartments, may be regulated very much by 

 the shape of the ground, and the taste of the owner. In 

 general, a gravel walk, six or eight feet broad, is led quite 

 around the garden, both within and without the walls. A 

 walk of similar dimensions is often constructed in the cen- 

 tre of the garden in the direction of the glazed houses, and 

 this is sometimes crossed by another at right angles. At 

 times these walks are led diagonally from the corners. 

 The space between the wall and the walk that skirts it is 

 called the wall-border, and is commonly from fifteen to 

 twenty feet broad. On the interior of the walk there is 

 usually another border five or six feet broad, which is gen- 

 erally occupied by fruit-trees trained to espalier rails, or 

 by dwarf-fruit trees. The middle part of the garden is 

 divided into rectangular compartments for the raising of 

 the various culinary crops. These compartments may be 

 divided by rows of moderate-sized fruit trees, or of goose- 

 berry and currant bushes. Standard fruit-trees, however, 

 soon grow so large as to shade so much ground, that they 

 cannot be allowed except where the garden is very large. 

 It is advantageous, to form several small beds, in which to 

 cultivate the less bulky articles, such as basil, sage, tarra- 

 gon, spearmint and thyme, which, in large spaces, are apt 

 to be overlooked or neglected. 



Wall-borders. — The preparation of borders for fruit- 

 trees is a matter of the utmost importance, and no pains 

 should be spared in this essential operation. Where bor- 

 ders are not in good condition, the care and toil of the 

 most experienced gardener will avail but little toward the 

 production of fruit. The first object is effectual draining. 



