II. ENCLOSING, LAYING OUT. 



This prevents temptation, in all cases dangerous, and par- 

 ticularly in that of forbidden fruit. Resolve, therefore, 

 to share the produce of your garden with the boys of the 

 whole neighbourhood -, or, to keep it for your own use 

 by a fence that they cannot get through, over, or under. 

 Six feet is no great height j but in the way of fence, four 

 feet of good thorn-hedge will keep the boldest boy from 

 trees loaded with fine ripe peaches ; and, if it will do 

 that, nothing further need be said in its praise ! The 

 height is nothing ; but, unless the assailant have wings, 

 he must be content with feasting his eyes 5 for, if he at- 

 tempt to climb, he receives the penalty upon the spot j 

 and he retreats as the fox did from the grapes, only with 

 pain of body in addition to that of a disappointed long- 

 ing. I really (recollecting former times) feel some re- 

 morse in thus plotting against the poor fellows -, but the 

 worst of it is, they will not be content with fair play : 

 they will have the earliest in the season, and the best, as 

 long as the season lasts j and, therefore, I must, however 

 reluctantly, shut them out altogether. 





35. By the time that the wall-trees begin to produce 

 any thing of a crop, the hedge will become an effectual 

 fence : the latter will go on providing protection as the 

 trees go on in making provision for fruit. The ditch and 

 the bank should be attended to during this time. If the 

 earth moulder down, it should be put up again : any 

 holes or washings that appear in the bank should be 

 regularly stopped, and the earth carefully replaced every 

 autumn : the prunings and clippings should be regularly 

 and carefully performed, once every winter, and once 

 every summer, about the middle of the month of July. 



