32 8 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



vegetables being intimately connected with that of fruit. These fruit gardens 

 generally comprise a part only of the whole property, their size being in propor- 

 tion to the required supply. Sometimes standard trees of cherry, plum, apricot, 

 medlar, quince, walnut, &c., as well as some of the hardiest varieties of pear and 

 apple, are grown in an orchard. The aspect varies with the latitude ; a 

 southern aspect suits the north of France ; a northern aspect suits the south. 



For the centre and north of France a situation sheltered from the north 

 wind is preferable. Account must also be taken of the nature of the soil, its 

 physical state, and its chemical composition. 



The Design is made by straight lines cutting each other at right angles, 

 forming squares of from lOO to 500 square metres, according to the importance 

 of the garden ; the walks are from I to 3 metres broad, according to whether 

 they are required for the passage of carts or of barrows only. Borders are 

 marked off inside the enclosing walls, and around the squares as margins to the 

 walks; they are from i to 2 J metres wide, and are planted with lines of espaliers, 

 cordons, and pyramids. The ground should be levelled, and the enclosure 

 formed, as far as possible, of stone or brick walls, surmounted by a projecting 

 coping. Sometimes in cold districts partition walls are built, of which the two 

 sides are planted — the direction of these walls is from north to south. No 

 matter what the walls are made of, they are covered with trellis work, either of 

 iron and wood, or altogether of wood ; the supports placed in two or three 

 rows according to the height of the wall, and parallel to the soil, are made of 

 iron wire, or crossbars of wood to which rods are fixed. The wood most 

 commonly used is pine. It ought, if possible, to be painted. The distance 

 between the uprights is from om.25 for peaches and vines, to om.30 for other 

 kinds of fruit. For the peach, in order better to secure the shoots, two short 

 rods are added between each of the vertical uprights. The edgings to walks 

 are preferably made of box. 



What to Plant. — The planting of an amateur's garden is a matter 

 requiring the careful selection of good varieties — of the best quality rather than 

 of large size, and abundant bearers. The distribution of the trees also greatly 

 influences the results. Thus the vine, the peach, the Doyenn^ d'Hiver pear, 

 and the Calville apple, requiring much heat to ripen their fruit, and disliking the 

 cold, are planted against south or east walls. Autumn and winter pears are 

 planted against a west wall. Summer pears, and some of the most fertile 

 varieties of cherries, are reserved for the north wall. Hardy apple and pear 

 trees, with slender and spreading branches, are all suitable for espaliers. The 

 hardiest varieties of these, with upright and strong branches, are planted as 

 pyramids or bushes. Apricots, cherries, and plums, good cropping apples, and 

 cooking pears, all hardy trees, whose flowers and fruits are but little affected by 

 hail or wind, should be planted as pyramids or standards. Large fruiting apple 

 trees make good horizontal cordons. The distance apart at which these trees 

 are planted varies with the richness of the soil, the vigour of the variety, height 

 of the wall, aspect, humidity of the soil, &c. 



The distance between fan-trained trees should be as many times om.30 as 

 the number of branches it is desired to obtain. Pyramids are planted 3 m., 



