ASPECTS AND SHELTERS. 



37 



so as to deflect the scud of the wind, are advan- 

 tageous, but buttresses to the walls throw a dan- 

 gerous shade, and are not to be recommended. 



The material of which the wall is constructed is 

 not very important. Brick seems, on the whole, 

 the best material, and wire trellisses are, no doubt, 

 by far the best to use for training purposes and for 

 obtaining beautiful forms ; still the old shreds of 

 cloth have many advantages, as have also studs 

 fixed in the wall for training to them with soft 

 wire. The great object is to secure the radiated 

 heat of the wall. It is astonishing what a differ- 

 ence an inch makes in this way. Some have even 

 recommended obtaining ft succession of crops by 

 varying the space between the branches and the 

 wall, but modern practice relies more on the 

 numerous varieties of fruit now known. 



The " Modern Peach- primer" has no faith in 

 the practical utility of heated walls. What are 

 glazed coverings for Peach walls but narrow and 

 stifling contrivances to effect what wide and 

 commodious orchard-houses do so much better? 

 When once we desert the time-honoured open 

 wall, now so elaborately furnished with Peach ap- 

 pliances, why should we adopt half-measures, and 

 middle courses ? not to speak of the great advan- 

 tage of combining the two methods so as to secure 

 the best of each. I mean that in a combination of 



