3Q FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDEN. 



often constructed in the centre 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, winch is generally 

 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 gooseberry 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 seve- 

 ral small beds, in which to cultivate the less bulky 

 articles, such as basil, sage, tarragon, 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 

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

 the most experienced gardener will avail btit little to- 

 ward the production of fruit. The first object is effec- 

 tual draining. The next, if the subsoil be indifferent, 

 is the confining the trees to the good surface soil, by 

 the formation of a bottom impervious to their roots. 

 This is sometimes done with stone-shivers and lime- 

 rubbish, or with coal-ashes and clay, compacted by 

 treading with the feet, and beating with the back of a 



