470 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



PART III. 



south-west, on which are to be trained apricots, figs, nectarines, peaches, and the finer sorts of pears and 

 plums, should, if at all convenient, be faced with brick, or be built of dark whinstone. 



24C2. The basement of the wall should universally be built of durable stone, if it can be obtained, in pre- 

 ference to brick ; whether the superstructure be ef brick, or of stone in courses. In many cases it is cheaper 

 than brick ; in any case more solid and durable. Supposing a ground-level line to be determined on, the 

 foundation or basement should be sunk at least a yard below it. If for a stone superstructure, it should be 

 thirty inches thick; for a brick and a half brick thick wall, twenty inches ; and if for a wall faced with brick, 

 and backed with free-stone, two feet, or twenty-six inches thick, according to the size of the stones j that is 

 to say, the basement should generally be six inches thicker than the superstructure, there being a shelf or 

 scarcement of three inches thick on either side of the wall. If the basement be built with bricks, in order to 

 save materials, the scarcement need not be made more than two inches ; that is, the half breadth of a brick 

 on either side ; so allowing four bricks to the basement, and three to the superstructure. (Kalend. p. 144.) 

 The foundation and basement of walls, Neill observes, are often made of common building sand-stone, 

 while the superstructure is brick ; and sometimes the back part of the wall is of sand-stone, and the front 

 only of brick. Sand-stone, which rises in flags, is the best substitute for bricks. Both kinds of materials 

 admit of the branches of the trees being nailed in regularly, and without difficulty. Where brick is scarce 

 and dear, Justice builds the foundation of stone, and lays one course of bricks on that side of the wall which 

 has the best aspect, carrying up the other with stone. 



2463. Trellises against stone walls. " Where the walls are of common rubble building," 

 Neill observes, " a trellis of spars is sometimes placed against them, and to this trellis the 

 branches are tied with osier twigs or rope-yarn. This is regarded as a very good plan ; 

 but the expense is considerable, as, to prevent the lodging of insects, the trellis must be 

 smooth and painted. The trees thus enjoy the shelter and regular heat of the wall, with- 

 out being injured by its dampness in rainy weather ; and as the wall is not injured by the 

 driving and drawing of nails, there are fewer lurking places for the wood-louse and the 

 snail. The rails of the trellis are made closer or wider according to the nature of the tree 

 to be trained against it. In a few instances in Scotland, walls have been built of different 

 kinds of whinstone, chiefly green-stone and basalt." (Edin. Encyc. art. Hon.} 



2464. The courses of bricks in kitchen-garden walls, some artists require to be laid hori- 

 zontally, or on a level ; but Hitt, Nicol, and most modern designers, prefer them laid in 

 lines parallel to the surface of the border, which, besides presenting a more agreeable effect 

 to the eye, answers better for lateral or horizontal training, in which, when adopted on such 

 walls, the shoots are laid in parallel to the courses of brick and the surface of the ground. 

 Were they laid in horizontally, there would necessarily be an unsightly blank at the top 

 and bottom of each tree. This is a matter deserving attention, both on account of 

 economy and the effect produced. 



2465. Different descriptions of wooden walls have been described (1565. ), and one or other 

 of them may be adopted in small gardens, or in particular situations. Nicol affirms 

 (Kal. p. 148.) that fruits may be produced on wooden walls, in as high perfection as on 

 those of brick. He acknowledges them, however, to be less durable. Switzer describes 

 a wooden fruit-wall, made from the boards or sides of " old shipping, which may be had 

 at sea-port towns, and is, indeed, some of the best for fruit of any, not excepting brick 

 walls ; for, being pitched and tarred, on account of its preservation before it goes to sea, 

 time and the salt-water, and the different climates through which the vessel sails, so 

 harden and incrustate the planks, that the heat of the sun strikes upon it to a degree not 

 to be borne withal, as all that make voyages at sea can testify. These kind of wooden 

 walls are generally made at half the expense of brick, and will last many years ; and you 

 may nail tolerably well into them." 



2466. Mud walls. A sort of walls to save bricks are made of mud ; " but I do not," 

 says Switzer, " thereby mean such as were in old times made of those coarse materials, 

 though I have, I confess, often seen good fruit on them, but such as they make at this 

 time in Dorset and Wiltshire (dry climates), chalk and 



mud mixed together, with a proportionable quantity of 

 old hay or straw mixed with it; of which, when 

 the foundations are laid of brick, or stone, or chalk, 

 two or three feet high, which they often do, it is a very 

 good wall for fruit, not disagreeable, nor of less use and 

 concern for fruit-trees, than stone, brick, or wooden 

 walls." (Pract. Fr. Card. p. 300.) 



2467. Open railings, or lattice-work of timber or cast- 

 iron, are sometimes used as substitutes for walls. The 

 garden of the Duke of Chandos (Pope's Timon), at 

 Edgeware, was surrounded by a wrought-iron rail 

 twelve feet high. We have, in the case of a garden 

 of a north aspect, employed an open railing (Jig. 426. 

 6) instead of the south wall, and a boarded wall (a) as 

 the fence on the north side. The advantage of this 

 plan is, that the south border (c) of the north wall is 

 sheltered at all times, and the north border and walk of 



the south rail (e, i) is exposed to the sun during winter ji| 

 . and spring, when the trees trained against the rail are vj^ 



426 



