HARDY FRUITS FOR SMALL GARDENS. 



127 



they are had at all, should certainly be on the lawn — the foliage 

 of the Mulberry and its peculiar growth making it a good con- 

 trast to almost all other trees, and the massive white blossoms 

 of the Large Dutch Medlar and the glorious tints of its foliage 

 in autumn mark it out as a desirable ornamental tree without 

 considering its fruit, whilst its drooping habit renders it not 

 unfitted to cover a low summer-seat. 



Eoughly speaking, I should say that every third tree in any 

 pleasure-garden might, without any disfigurement or lessening 

 of the general effect, be a fruit-tree. It need hardly be said 

 that all fruit-trees in the ornamental garden should be grown 

 on the extension system, i.e. be pruned but sparingly, the 

 leaders of all the branches being allowed almost free play, 

 cutting back only to balance the head when young, the side 

 shoots being clean cut out to a couple of buds if the inner growth 

 appears too dense. 



Where the lie of the ground permits and there is space 

 sufficient, it is a good plan to lay out a tiny orchard of 10 to 14 

 standard trees between the lawn and the kitchen-garden. The 

 size of the plot of ground should be so arranged as to leave a 

 distance of 20 feet between the line of the stems of the outside 

 trees and the path or lawn adjoining. On those sides of this plot 

 which face the house or lawn, and at a distance of 8 or 10 feet 

 from the stems of the fruit-trees, plant a belt of Khododendrons 

 or other low-growing bushy evergreen shrubs, and then between 

 the shrubs and the path or lawn you have ample space for a 

 grand wide border of herbaceous plants, interspersed with Dahlias, 

 &c, in the summer. Such a tiny orchard is a lovely object to 

 look upon from the house in spring, the fruit-trees wreathed 

 with blossoms pink and white, bending down as it were to 

 meet the dark-leaved Rhododendrons half-way, while in autumn 

 the burden of Apples and Plums makes a far from uninteresting 

 background to the broad band of Phloxes, Pentstemons, Dahlias, 

 Sunflowers, and Michaelmas Daisies below them ; in fact the 

 whole forms a natural trophy sufficient to inspire a poet with the 

 theme of Flora half-reclining on the turf and Pomona stooping- 

 down to kiss her sister goddess on the brow. 



We turn now to the hinds of fruits to be grown and the 

 varieties of each to be preferred. The kinds will, of course, be 

 dependent on the likes and dislikes of the household, and every 



