526 Notes on Gardens and Countrij Seats: — 



it; but this kitchen-garden is the talk of all the gardeners for 

 many miles round. Even Mr. Oldacre, who is not hasty in 

 giving an opinion, and who has had a great deal of ex- 

 perience, allows it to surpass anything of the kind he has 

 ever seen. Mr. Patrick trenched all his fruit borders 4 ft. 

 deep, without mixing any dung with the soil. This is his 

 general practice ; and he finds that by it he avoids over- 

 luxuriant unripened shoots and the mildew. In consequence 

 of his young wood being thus always well ripened, he never 

 suffers from frosts in spring. For example, this year he has 

 as many apricots on his trees as they can carry ; while about 

 London the blossom was generally destroyed. Mr. Patrick 

 never protects blossom by canvass ; but, if at any time he 

 finds protection necessary, he merely employs netting sus- 

 pended a few inches distant from the trees. It is not to be 

 inferred, from all this, that Mr. Patrick never applies manure 

 to his fruit borders, or round his fruit trees generally ; but 

 he always spreads it on the surface in the way of mulching, in 

 order to encourage the fibrous roots to come up, rather than 

 to go down. He disapproves of cropping the borders ; and, 

 though he had crops on some of them, they were very slight 

 ones. Where these existed, he pointed out to us how much 

 weaker the plants were opposite the centre of each tree, 

 where a semicircular space indicated exhaustion by the trees' 

 roots. This effect was more striking in Mr. Patrick's border 

 than in any other that we ever saw, in consequence of the 

 tree roots lying so near the surface. However, Mr. Patrick 

 has promised us an account of his mode of forming this 

 garden, and managing the trees in it; and with that we are 

 sure our readers will be much instructed. We cannot help 

 noticing a beautiful crop of large morello cherries on standard 

 trees, trained like cones, and covered with nets. The morellos 

 on the walls, and also the peaches, nectarines, and plums, 

 were all thickly studded with fruit. The gardener's house is 

 in the kitchen-garden, centrally situated, so as to overlook 

 the whole from the bed-rooms, which are three in number, 

 over a parlour, kitchen, and back kitchen. Certain cup- 

 boards and other fixtures belong to the house, and therefore 

 cost the in-coming occupier nothing : but we would strongly 

 recommend to such gardeners as have it in their power, to 

 introduce the custom of having all the principal articles of 

 furniture, such as tables, chairs, chests of drawers, bedsteads 

 and bedding, considered as belonging to the house, to be 

 taken to by every occupant, from his master, at a valuation, 

 on entering, and taken from him in the same manner at 

 leaving. No money need be required to be paid by the 



