GENERAL PRACTICE. FRUIT BORDERS. 



73 



roots of the trees. When wall borders are closely cropped with vegetables and 

 walk borders with flowers as well as trees, these suffer, for it is impracticable to grow 

 both or all well on the same ground. 



The system of culture pursued determines the width of fruit borders. Trees on the 

 free stock necessarily require more root space than those on the dwarf stock, and the 

 space to be covered by the tree influences the extent of border required. A tree having 

 24 feet by 12 feet of wall surface to cover will require a larger rooting area than one 

 having its limit of extension at 12 feet by 12 feet. On the free stock the former will 

 need a border corresponding to the height of the wall ; but the latter on the same 

 height of wall will have its requirements met in a border 6 feet in width. Cordon 

 trees on a 12 -feet wall planted 2 feet apart will not be accommodated in 2 feet 



Fig. 10. FRUIT BORDER IN FRIABLE SOIL. (Scale : \ inch = 1 foot.) 



References : I, soil trenched 2 feet deep ; m, alleys ; n, border for bush or pyramid trees, 9 feet wide ; o, 

 walk, 6 feet wide, edged with frost-proof tiles, stone or cement curbing ; p, espaliers, 4 feet 6 inches high, 18 inches 

 from path ; q, espaliers for pear, apple, or plum trees, 6 feet high, and 4 feet 6 inehes between espalier lines ; 

 r, fruit wall border, 10 feet wide, including alley ; s, hollow wall, 10 feet above ground ; t, ordinary ground level ; , 

 space flagged, slated, or concreted to a distance of 4 feet from the wall to prevent the roots of the trees going straight 

 down into the subsoil ; v, disturbed pan below trenching ; w, subsoil, sand and gravel ; x, drains, 4 feet deep, 15 feet 

 asunder. 



breadth of border, though when the height of the wall is but 6 feet that width of 

 border will suffice. The extent of border required is also in some degree influenced by 

 the nature of the soil. Where this is rich and deep a smaller border is needed than 

 where it is poor and shallow. Still, to grow fruit well, a certain amount of rooting 

 area is essential to a given size of tree, the question of nourishment being a matter of 

 soil constituents and mammal applications. 



In reference to the foundation, preparation, and planting of borders the abo\ e illus- 

 tration will be elucidatory. It is intended to show borders for fruit trees where the 



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