96 THE MINIATUEE FEUIT GARDEN 



SHELTER TRENCHES 



The following is a very simple and inexpensive manner 

 of providing shelter for the cultivation of cordon trees : 

 Open a trench as for celery about three feet wide and 

 two deep ; bank the soil on both sides of the trench ; 

 after settling the banks will be about one foot high, the 

 trench with the banks therefore from the base to the 

 top will be about three feet : in this trench plant the 

 double horizontal cordons. The parallel banks will form 

 the support of the protection against spring frosts, con- 

 sisting either of straw hurdles or stakes laid across and 

 covered with mats or any material stout enough to resist 

 frost, as cheap and simple protection is thus provided, 

 and the shelter of the trench will give a climate in which 

 fruit may be grown equal to that from walls. Drainage 

 will be necessary to take off the water after excessive 

 rain ; but this can never be a serious evU, and if the 

 trenches can be made on an incline, the water will run 

 off quickly. If the sides are lined with slates the heat 

 will be increased, but this extra expense is hardly 

 necessary, as the heat will be sufficient without. I need 

 scarcely point out that all sorts of fruit requiring shelter 

 can be grown in these trenches. 



