20 THE AMERICAN GARDENER. [Chap. 



r.essary, in the way of protection against two-legged 

 intruders, is intended chiefly to afford the means of 

 raising the fruit of Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, 

 arid Vines, which cannot, in England, be brought 

 to perfection without walls to train them against ; 

 for, though the trees will all grow very well, and 

 though a small sort of Apricots will sometimes 

 ripen their fruit away from a wall, these fruits can- 

 not, to any extent, be obtained, in England, nor the 

 Peaches and Nectarines, even in France, north of 

 the middle ot that country, without the aid of walls. 

 Hence, in England, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, 

 and Grapes, are called Wall-Fruit. Cherries, 

 Plums, and Pears, are also very frequently placed 

 against walls ; and they are always the finer for it ; 

 but, a wall is indispensably necessary to the four 

 former. 



33. In America a fence is not wanted for this pur- 

 pose ; but it is very necessary for protection ; for 

 shelter ; and for shade. As to the first, gardeners 

 may scold as long as they please, and law-makers 

 may enact as long as they please, mankind never 

 will look upon taking fruit in an orchard or a gar- 

 den as felony nor even as trespass. Besides, there 

 are, in all countries, such things as boys ; and every 

 man remembers, if he be not very forgetful, that he 

 himself was once a boy. So that, if you have a 

 mind to have for your own use what you grow in 

 your garden, the only effectual security is an insur- 

 mountable fence. This prevents the existence of 

 temptation, in all cases dangerous, and particularly 

 in that of forbidden f ruit : therefore the matter re- 

 duces itself to this \ cry simple alternative: share 

 the produce of your garden good-humouredly with 

 the boys of the whole neighbourhood ; or, keep it 

 for your own use by a fence which they cannot get 



