MONTREUIL. 425 



precoces or early peaches occupy chiefly the eastern aspects, 

 where night-frosts do not prove so detrimental, and are dis- 

 pelled betimes by the rising sun. The tardives or late 

 peaches require the full south, or an aspect near it, where 

 they may get all the sun possible, and with its most power- 

 ful influence. The western aspects are principally occupied 

 by cherry-trees, plum-trees, and early grape-vines. Along 

 the borders on the northern side of the fruit-walls, dwar- 

 fish filbert-nut trees are often planted, and seem to do 

 well. On the narrow borders in front of the peach-trees, 

 no kind of crop is ever raised, not even salad vegetables. 

 All the peach-trees are basse-tiges, or what we call dwarfi. 

 The subsidiary walls are from 80 to 100 feet long; and 

 even when they are parallel to each other, which is not, 

 however, often the case, they are not more than forty or 

 fifty feet apart. Of one of the most regular of these gar- 

 dens Mr Hay made a ground-sketch ; and this will per- 

 haps give the reader a more distinct idea of their nature 

 and appearance, than any verbal description. But he must 

 remember, that in many of the gardens the walls are more 

 inclined from the south than in the one represented, and 

 that in very few of them are they placed at such equal dis- 

 tances from each other. In some, indeed, they seem to 

 have been set down in the most capricious manner : they 

 have evidently been built at different times, probably ac- 

 cording to the abilities of the cultivators, — without any 

 preconcerted plan, and with a total disregard to regularity 

 of appearance. One advantage considered as resulting 

 from the multiplicity of walls in various directions, is the 

 retaining of moisture on the surface, and thus moderating 

 the burning nature of the soil. — In the sketch, the stronger 

 lines represent the walls ; the lighter lines, the alleys. Be- 

 sides the inclosure-walls, there are three long cross ones, 

 with E. and W. aspects ; fifteen subsidiary walls, with a 

 full S. aspect ; and five inclined a little to the W. 



