liases 
j OBSERVATIONS OX THE ASPECTS OF FRUIT WALLS. 
that we seldom sec Figs trained otherwise than in the fan mode, and that such trees, when the points 
of the branches are recurved, and they are otherwise well managed, frequently produce fine crops ; but 
such are exceptions to the general rule. In forming a horizontally-trained free, it must be headed 
down within eighteen inches of the ground to three buds, two of which must be trained horizontally 
right and left, and the centre upright, to be again headed back to form future tiers of branches. Thus 
it will appear that the use of the knife in managing the Fig-tree should be very occasional ; the cuts 
may be " few and far between." A vigilant eye, and the finger and thumb, may do nearly all the 
pruning requisite. 
Fig-trees in pots may be thus managed without any use of the knife ; frequent stopping, pendulous 
training, and a rich soil, will do all they can be desired to do, with root-pruning, which is of much 
consequence to their success. Late in the autumn, they may annually be turned out of their pots and 
the roots pared (to the thickness of an inch) all round with a sharp knife, and then re-potted in strong 
rich soil. This plan was long practised at the late Lord Harewood's seat in Yorkshire, with most 
successful results. 
Standard Figs arc now seldom met with, unless in some very favoured locality. The finest fruit 
we have seen lately was during the past autumn on some trees at Osborne House, the seat of her 
Majesty. They only require a dry bottom and a genial climate. In such places the primer may 
consider his " occupation gone," unless the branches (very occasionally) become too crowded. 
♦ 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE ASPECTS OF FRUIT WALLS. 
By JIr. JOHN COX, Gardener to William Wells, Esq., Kedle.vf. 
?nHE most eligible aspects for garden fruit-tree walls is a subject which, I think, may be with 
1a. some advantage made the basis of a few useful considerations, which, although probably most 
applicable to the future, may yet on some points call up fresh ideas at the present time. It has long 
been my opinion — and as further experience has made me more acquainted with the quantity and 
continued supply required by most families of taste in the present day I am confirmed in that opinion — 
that, for the general purposes of early and late supply, the walls ought to consist almost wholly of 
north and south aspects. On one or the other of these may be brought to perfection every hardy fruit 
cultivated in this country ; and what is of more consequence, the season of most of them may be greatly 
extended. Indeed, in cases where families are not accustomed to retire to their country-seats until the 
breaking up of Parliament, or the approach of the shooting season, it is quite indispensable to have a 
good stretch of north walls, in order to be able to retard the ripening of some of the kinds ; and it will 
effect this to a greater extent than many would suppose. I have observed that the difference in the 
time of ripening the same kinds on south and north aspects is often as much as three weeks ; and the 
length of time which fruit will hang on, and keep fresh and plump, is greatly in favour of the latter. 
To enter more into practical detail, let us take Cherries as an example, and I have no hesitation in 
stating that every kind of Cherry may be brought to great perfection on a north wall. They will crop 
there with more certainty, because the expansion of the bloom is retarded, and ripen as well, wilh as 
good a flavour as ever came from the sunny south ; and therefore, bearing in mind the utility of a late 
supply, 1 would only plant — say three, or at most four trees, on a south aspect, and all the rest on the 
north. I should thus have a certainty of prolonging the general season of these fruits greatly beyond 
the usual season. Again, the advantage of a north aspect for red and white currants is well known : 
but it may not be so generally known that the old Warrington Gooseberry may be had in perfection 
from a north wall long after those in the open quarters arc all gone. And this leads me to a still more 
practical illustration. I would recommend the adoption of the following plan for furnishing some 
portion of the north walls: — Plant Cherries with :i clear stem of at least six feet, at the distance of 
sixteen feet apart ; these arc to fill the top part of a wall fourteen feet high (ami no garden-walls 
should ever be less). Next, at a distance of lour tret from each Cherry (and on each side of it), plant 
Gooseberry or Currant trees. The Cherries should be trained in the horizontal manner, under which 
system they will flourish and crop us well as any other, and it affords l he readiest means of quite filli 
the wall. The first year after planting, the Gooseberries should be devoted to obtaining shoots diver- 
ging each way horizontally along the bottom, at one foot from the ground; afterwards, train up from 
these a number of branches perpendicularly, at six or eight inches apart — a reference to the accom- 
panying figure will siiow my meaning better than 1 can describe it. The Gooseberries will be found 
to fill their allotted space sooner than the Currants, because the latter will require closer pruning ami 
heading back to get a good stock of fruit -spurs. The breastwood should be kept W( 11 shortened in the 
summer, as leaving, it on until the winter pruning would soon ruin the trees. As the wood gets old 
