52 FRUIT GARDEN. 



deserve a good aspect, as also the early sorts of cherries. 

 The later cherries, and the generality of plums, succeed 

 very well either on an east or west aspect in Scotland : and 

 here the mulberry requires the protection of a wall, and 

 several of the finer apples do not arrive at perfection with- 

 out it. 



The wall-trees which are intended to be permanent are 

 called dwarfs, from their being grafted near the ground. 

 Between each of these, trees with tall stems, called riders, 

 in Scotland, are planted as temporary occupants of the 

 upper part of the wall. The riders should always be five 

 or six years trained in the nursery, in order that when they 

 are planted out they may come into bearing as speedily 

 as possible. The distance at which the permanent trees 

 are planted is to be regulated by the known mode of growth 

 of the different sorts, and by the height of the wall. When 

 the walls are about twelve feet high, the following average 

 distances have been recommended: For vines, 10 or 12 

 feet; peach and nectarine-trees, from 15 to 20 feet; fig- 

 trees, 20 feet at least; apricots, from 15 to 24 feet; plums 

 and cherries, from 15 to 20 feet; pear-trees, 20 feet if on 

 quince stocks, and 30 feet when on free stocks; apple- 

 trees, 12 feet if on paradise stocks, and 15 to 25 feet when 

 on free stocks. Where the walls are only seven or eight 

 feet high, the distance should be increased by nearly one- 

 fourth, as in this case the want of height must be compen- 

 sated by greater breadth. 



Apples and pears make the best espalier rail-trees, 

 especially in Scotland. These should be of the more 

 robust sorts, and should be planted at the distance of 15 

 or 20 feet. Cherries and plums are sometimes introduced 

 into the espalier rail-row, but these succeed in those situa- 



