PART V. CULINARY GARDENING. 273 



2. The culture of espaliers may be considered under 

 heads similar to those above. The remarks there made are all 

 applicable here, except what relates to the depth of soil ; for 

 here several reasons concur to shew, that this ought in fewer 

 cases to be less than twenty inches or two feet deep. The con- 

 struction of espalier rails is perfectly simple ; they should be 

 fixed in masonry, and their parts under ground should either be 

 charred on the surface or pitched, unless the whole be made of 

 larch wood, in which case both pitch and paint are unneces- 

 sary. Espalier rails painted white have a harsh glaring effect 

 in gardens ; in all cases, therefore, they ought to be painted of 

 some quiet colour, as brown, grey, or green. They are gene- 

 rally placed parallel to the walks on one side, as on those walks 

 which surround the garden ; or on both ends, as on those which 

 cross through it. In both cases when the proper proportions 

 are adopted, they have an excellent effect, especially in the 

 cross walks. 



3. The culture of standards. When these are placed 

 irregularly throughout the garden, which is seldom an advisa- 

 ble practice, nothing can be said respecting the soil, as they 

 must give way in that article to the general crops. But the 

 best way of using standards (under which I comprehend all 

 unfastened trees) is either in rows, as gooseberries commonly 

 are, along the borders ; — in quarters by themselves ; — or in 



