KITCHEN-GARDEN AND ORCHARD 47 
massive, nail-studded arrangements are strangely out of 
keeping with the freedom and freshness of the garden. 
By means of a few clumps of gay herbaceous flowers 
just inside the kitchen-garden entrance, there will be no 
need to screen this department off from the rest of the 
garden: in fact, a very pleasant vista may be arranged 
from one to the other. 
Whether the garden is surrounded by walls or hedge, 
a wide border should be formed immediately next the 
boundary line. In the case of walls, this is especially 
desirable, as enabling a suitable root medium to be 
provided for the choice fruit-trees which will be trained 
to them. These borders will vary in width, partly 
according to the aspect, but mainly with reference to 
the size of the garden. A twelve-foot border is perhaps 
as satisfactory as any, but eighteen feet is no uncommon 
width in larger establishments. Under a wall facing 
north, the width of the border need seldom be more 
than six feet. It is well to devote very careful attention 
to the preparation of these borders, thorough drainage 
being the first essential. The soil may also be removed 
to a depth of two and a half feet, and a layer of stones, 
brick rubbish, and other material spread at the bottom ; 
this will prevent the roots of the fruit-trees from striking 
too deeply. If some old turf and manure be placed 
above and the soil finally returned, the border will be in 
the best condition for planting. A gentle fall from 
back to front should be contrived, so that sun and air 
may reach all parts of the crop. 
One of the primary essentials for the kitchen-garden is 
the formation of really good walks. Constant traffic, the 
passage to and fro of water-carts and wheelbarrows, 
would soon cut up a half-made pathway and render it 
almost useless. Nothing can be nicer than broad flags, 
both for appearance and utility, but unless stone happens 
to be plentiful in the neighbourhood, the expense of 
