CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, &C. 145 



With respect to the height of fruit walls, if con- 

 sidered merely as such, the matter might easily be 

 determined. I would say, twelve feet ; that height 

 being very convenient for the operations of prun- 

 ing, watering, gathering the fruit, &c. and admit- 

 ting of a sufficient expansion of the branches of 

 most trees. But the height of garden- walls should 

 be regulated by the extent, or by the apparent ex- 

 tent of the ground inclosed by them. I say, by the 

 apparent extent, as well as by the real extent ; be- 

 cause much depends on the form and cast of the 

 ground, in how much the eye shall be pleased. If 

 it be a square, it will seem less than it really is ; 

 and if a lengthened parallelogram, larger ; and ac- 

 cording to its flatness, or its elevation, the eye will 

 be deceived. 



A small spot, surrounded by high walls, has a bad 

 effect, and gloomy appearance. The walls being 

 built of different heights, gives relief. In a garden 

 of an acre, being a parallelogram of the best pro- 

 portion, and gently elevated, the north wall may be 

 raised to the height of fourteen feet ; the east and 

 west walls, to twelve ; and the south wall, to ten 

 feet above the ground level. If the ground slope 

 considerably, the breakings in the respective heights 

 of the walls may be less ; they may be only a foot ; 

 and the relief will be the same, or nearly the same, 

 to the eye, in ranging along their surfaces. In a 

 garden of greater extent, the walls may be raised 

 to a greater height ; but by no means in proportion, 

 if it extend to several acres. The extreme *^ht 

 should not exceed eighteen feet, of the north wall 



K 



