An Account of a Cherry Orchard. 401 



post, half under and half above the ground ; to the bottom 

 edge of this are nailed slates, eighteen inches long, to ex- 

 clude moles and other vermin. At the top of this fence are 

 fastened hooks on an iron rod ; on these is fixed the rope 

 which is passed through the edge of the net, the meshes of 

 which are about an inch and a half wide ; the net is in three 

 pieces, one of which is secured to one end of the garden, and 

 carried over the tops of the posts, C, the second or middle 

 piece is netted to it, and the third is attached in the same 

 manner as the first. The net is then tied all round with 

 twine to the top rail, thus forming a covering of one united 

 piece of net work. Previously to the putting on of the net, two 

 sides of the garden are secured with stout rails, as at D ; these 

 are to keep the net from pulling in the ends of the upright 

 fence, which it would otherwise do during rain or damp 

 evenings, at which times the net becomes quite tight ; the other 

 sides, lying in the elastic line of the net, do not require any 

 support. The posts, C, are only in use during the fruit season, 

 after which they and the netting are put by till again wanted. 

 The former fit into sockets upon which caps are placed 

 when they are not in use. The posts have also circular caps at 

 the top, in order that the net may slide smoothly on them, and 

 likewise to prevent its weight from forcing them through it, 

 which sometimes happens notwithstanding this precaution. 



The garden contains ninety-eight Cherry Trees, of various 

 sorts. The greatest part of them are May Dukes, and these 

 have borne good crops ; some of the other sorts as yet have 

 borne but sparingly. The whole is surrounded by an open 

 ditch, E, with green sloping banks ; this keeps the garden 

 dry. The soil is hazel loam, rather inclining to clay at 

 bottom, but it has had a considerable quantity of old lime 

 rubbish laid on the surface, and the trees grow luxuriantly. 



