560 



DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION. 



to a single stem as high as the upright 

 part of the espalier, and then trained 

 downwards all over the curved part 

 of the trellis, which, of course, should 

 face the south. 



In the Royal Gardens at Frogmore, 

 fruit trees are trained to a curvilinear 

 iron espalier, as shown in the annexed 

 sketch, fig. 799. The trees are planted 



Fig. 799. 



in the centre of the space covered, and 

 are trained to one stem until they gain 

 the apex of the trellis, when they are 

 allowed to branch out, and are trained 

 over its outer surface, chiefly in a hori- 

 zontal and pendant form. 



Fig. 800 represents what may be 

 called a dome-shaped espalier. It is in- 



Fig. 800. 



tended for training a single tree to each. 

 The material used is malleable iron. The 

 espalier is constructed in four pieces, 

 ■which are screwed together as shown in 

 the sketch. The tree is planted in the 

 centre, with a height of stem equal to 

 that of the dome : the branches are 

 trained downwards over the outer sur- 

 face of the trellis. After the tree has 

 been fully modelled, and the branches 

 have become large, the trellis may be 

 taken away altogether, as the tree will 

 continue, under proper management, to 

 retain its habit ; while the espalier may 

 be used to model another young tree. 



The horizontal mode of training trees 

 to espaliers elevated 1 foot or 18 inches 

 from the surface of the ground, and also 

 that of having them placed at different 

 degrees of inclination, were introduced 

 many years ago from the Continent, 

 where this method is frequently employed 

 even at this day. They have the disad- 

 vantages of covering an unnecessarily 

 large surface of ground, and of exposing 

 the blossom to the injurious effects of 

 spring frosts. 



No doubt cast-iron espaliers, such as 

 are represented in figs. 791 and 792, or 

 wrought-iron uprights, and longitudinal 

 wire running either horizontally or verti- 

 cally, as in fig. 795, are lighter and more 

 elegant in appearance than those of wood ; 

 — but, as we have observed of the former, 

 they are liable to injure the trees during 

 intense frosts ; while the latter, being too 

 flexible, become crooked and misshapen 

 by the unequal pressure of the branches 

 which are trained upon them. 



There is one advantage which should 

 not be overlooked, in training trees upon 

 the principle shown from figs. 796 to 

 800, — and that is, the trees being planted 

 under the espalier, the roots are secured 

 from the injury occasioned by digging 

 amongst them. To counteract the effect 

 of the abstraction of heat from the 

 branches which come in contact with the 

 metallic substance, (and it is only at the 

 points of contact that injury is sustain- 

 ed,) chips of wood might readily be 

 placed between the branch and the iron, 

 as the process of training goes on. 



§ 7. — FOOTPATHS. 



Greenhouses, conservatories, and all 

 plant-houses of the highest order, should 

 be paved with the best polished stone 

 pavement, in considerable lengths and 

 breadths, or any of the highly ornamen- 

 tal floorings of terra-cotta, encaustic or 

 other tiles manufactured by Minton, 

 Copeland, and others — these being not 

 only the most elegant, but at the same 

 time the most durable. 



For pine- stoves and ordinary plant- 

 houses, Arbroath or Caithness pavement, 

 or earthenware tiles, are certainly the 

 best ; and next to them, paving bricks 

 laid in imitation of tessellated pavement, 



