Book I. FRUIT-SHRUBS. <81 



2518. Abercrombie says, " full standards are only or chiefly adapted for orchards and other 

 grounds not occupied with esculents as principal crops. In the interior compartments, 

 some full and half standards may be introduced ; being thinly scattered towards the angles 

 of the compartments, not to overspread the ground, nor placed nearer together than forty 

 feet ; indeed, many designers of horticultural plantations would restrict the full standards 

 to the orchard and pleasure-ground, as plants cultivated underneath them are apt to suffer 

 from drips." (Pr. Gard. p. 5.) 



2519. Forsyth recommends their being mixed with other trees in the shrubberies which 

 surround gardens. 



2520. Nicol concurs in this opinion ; and in general prefers standards in the outer 

 border of the slip, or in the orchard. 



2521. For the sorts of fruit-trees proper for standards, see Chap. III. on Orchards. 



Sect. IV. Fruit-shrubs. 



2522. By fruit-shrubs are to be understood the gooseberry and currant tribes, rasp- 

 berry, cranberry, &c. They are almost universally planted in the walk borders, at re- 

 gular distances of from six to ten feet. Plantations of them are also formed in the 

 compartments, and in the outer border of the slip. " Some of those useful shrubs, 

 gooseberries and currants," Marshall observes, " should grow in every aspect of the gar- 

 den, in order to have a succession of their fruits as long as may be. Raspberries may 

 be set in plantations, in rows. Though these shrubs are best by themselves, yet here 

 and there, by the walks, a detached bunch may be kept, or here and there one against a 

 warm wall. Currants, gooseberries, and raspberries," he adds, " do well, espaliered, as 

 to a production of early and fine fruit." Abercrombie observes, " Gooseberry and cur- 

 rant bushes may be planted in single rows, in cross rows, or in plantations by them- 

 selves : plant some near the outward edge of the main compartments ; others along 

 the borders where there are no espaliers ; others again in cross rows, to divide large com- 

 partments. Raspberries may occupy other borders and compartments. " (Pract. Gard. 5. 

 189.) Forsyth recommends planting gooseberries " in a compartment by themselves, 

 or round the edges of the compartments, about three feet from the path. Never plant 

 them under the shade of other trees, as it will injure the flavor of the fruit." " Currants 

 and gooseberries," Nicol observes, " are often planted in lines by the sides of the walks 

 or alleys of the garden ; but in that way, especially if not well managed, they are gene- 

 rally more cumbersome than useful. It is a better method to plant them in compartments 

 by themselves, and to make new plantations every sixth or seventh year, as young plants 

 are found to produce more handsome fruit, and also more plentifully than old ones. 

 The same thing may be said of raspberries, which produce the finest fruit when young ; 

 that is, about the third or fourth year after planting, if properly managed. It is proper 

 to plant some of all the above fruits on a north border, or other shaded situation, in 

 order to prolong the season of them, if that be an object, besides planting them out in 

 compartments, as hinted above. Some may also very properly be planted against vacant 

 places on any of the walls, pales, or espaliers. An Antwerp raspberry in particular, and 

 some of the kinds of gooseberries, are highly improved in size and flavor, if trained to a 

 south wall. " The cranberry was first introduced as a garden-fruit by Sir Joseph Banks, 

 and is grown to most advantage in bog-earth, kept moist. The margins of ponds, or 

 other re servoirs, in the slip, are good situations for this plant : but when the dewberry, 

 bilberry, and other fruit-bearing bog-earth plants are introduced, we would recommend 

 a border or other compartment in a shady situation, furnished with bog-earth ; and to 

 which water could be readily applied, either by the watering-pot, engine, or by means of 

 under-ground channels. 



2523. With respect to the sorts of fruit-shrubs, the following list is given by Nicol, 

 those to be preferred being marked wdth an asterisk (*). 



Gooseberries, Green. 

 Earlv, *gascoigne, *walnut, coliah, 

 globe. " 



Goosebemu, Red. 



Gooseberries, Yellotn. Currants. 



Golden drop, upright, *champaigne, The red, -white dutch, black, cham- 



golden knap, *conqueror, *sulphur, paigne or grizzly. 

 *amber elobe, *honeycomb. 



Raspberries. 



Gooseberries, White. The common red, common white, red 



* Royal george, Orleans, * crystal, an twerp, white antwerp, red cane, and 



* Ironmonger, * nutmeg, * walnut, 

 large rough, *champaigne, *smooth, 

 *captain, admirable. matchless. ' twice-bearing, are all good sorts. 



2524. The sorts of plants are commonly such as have been grown two or three years 

 from the cuttings, or in the case of raspberries, suckers of the preceding year. Older 

 gooseberry and currant trees, where they can be procured, should be preferred, to a cer- 

 tain extent, as they bear immediately, and when they grow old can readily be renewed. 

 Raspberries, from their nature, can never have stems of more than a year in age. 



2525. In respect to distance, according to Nicol, " from four to six feet square, ac- 

 cording to the quality of the soil, may be deemed sufficient ; that is, in good land, six 

 feet ; in middling land, five ; and in poor land, four feet. 



2526. The mode and season of plantirtg is regulated on general principles. (2071. to 

 2098.) 



I i 



