THE MANSE GARDEN. 95 



their places by two slight spars running across, one 

 at the top and the other at the bottom. In the mean 

 time, the ivy produces a beautiful and beneficial effect, 

 surmounting the wall and adding to the closeness of 

 shelter caused by the evergreen shrubs. It should 

 be clipped along the top after the manner of box 

 edging. Nothing can exceed the real snugness of 

 the trees so placed, or the beauty of their glowing 

 blossoms spread out under the eye : and the quality 

 of the fruit comes fully up to the theoretic advantages 

 with which it is favoured. The heat is undoubtedly 

 much greater than that of the best wall, and the open 

 flowers find, in their humble height, a shelter, like 

 the daisy of the field, from the sweeping blast which 

 often scatters the petals of a higher tree like a shower 

 of snow. 



Experience has fully proved the suitableness of 

 this contrivance to all elevated situations. In some 

 places very low and warm the heat so powerfully re- 

 -flected might possibly be too great ; but in that case 

 figs and nectarines might be so exposed, and would 

 certainly take all that they can get. Yet judging 

 by the hot summer of twenty-six, when the fruit 

 attained a size and flavour little known in our nor- 

 thern climate, I should not much fear the roasting of 

 either apples or pears by such method of cultivation. 

 On this sunny bank one place at least should be re- 

 served for the Ribston pippin, the chief of the apple 

 race, but whose virtues cannot be elicited without 

 plenty of warmth. 



It has long been observed that the Ribston as a 

 tree thrives better in the orchard or in the espalier 

 rows than on the best wall, but then the fruit, not 



