156 THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



thriven in a singular manner. In other cases, an or- 

 chard has been planted by a proprietor, or perhaps 

 by a peasant, in a chance corner of good soil, which, 

 by having prospered in a superlative degree, has en- 

 ticed others in its vicinity to plant ; and hence have 

 orchards been spread over large districts of country, 

 variously situated, and of various soil. 



Many of our orchards have risen out of another 

 circumstance, namely, they have originally been 

 planted by the religious, in the days when too many 

 of a certain class of men were idle, and otherwise 

 were drons in the hive. Wherever the cloister has 

 stood, may be found the, remains of the apple and 

 the pear ; and to the Monks we are indebted for the 

 introduction of the best fruits in the country. 

 These men were generally good gardeners, and dis- 

 played great judgment in the choice of the situation 

 and soil of their orchards. Indeed, this choice of- 

 ten regulated the situation of the cathedral. They 

 seldom established themselves in situations unfa- 

 vourable for the rearing of orchards ; the cultiva- 

 tion of fruits and flowers being their favourite a* 

 musement. 



Hence we find, that many of the antient orchards, 

 probably often by the direction of the Monks, have 

 been admirably situated on sloping banks, in good 

 soil, and where they have been completely shelter- 

 ed by the cast of the ground, or by woods. A bet- 

 ter example cannot be followed by the public or by 

 the private orchardist. Let him who intends plant* 

 ing an orchard, by which he expects to gain his 

 bread, study the choice exhibited by the Monks, 



