December 14,1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 541 
14th 
Tn 
Koyal Society at 4.30 p.m. 
15th 
F 
16th 
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17th 
Sun 
3rd Sunday in Advent. 
18th 
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19 th 
Tu 
20th 
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Meteorological Society at 7 p.M. Society of Arts at 8 p.M. 
SMALL v. LARGE FRUIT BORDERS. 
the outset I may as well state I am fully 
>-< aware that much I shall write upon this sub¬ 
ject will be at variance with the theories and 
practices of others. This knowledge, how¬ 
ever, is no deterrent, simply because some at 
least of these “ old hands" cannot, if they 
would, disprove some of the facts I shall adduce 
in support of my arguments. We learn as much 
from failures as we do from successes ; at all events 
such is my experience. Unfortunately some of these 
mistakes that are made are on too large a scale to rectify, or 
at any rate those responsible have not always the courage to 
admit their errors and profit by them, but leave others to point 
them out. 
I propose to divide my subject into two sections. In the 
first I shall endeavour to prove that we make unnecessarily 
large and expensive borders for such house-grown fruits as 
Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, and Figs ; and in the other that 
we do not take sufficient trouble with them—in fact, do not do 
justice to such wall fruits as Pears, Apricots, Peaches, Nec¬ 
tarines, Plums, and Cherries. With the latter I anticipate no 
great difficulty, but the former will not, I fear, prove so con¬ 
vincing to others as I am anxious it should. 
It is a curious fact, but true nevertheless, that in some 
places the Vine and other house-grown fruit borders are con¬ 
stantly being pulled to pieces and remade, this being either 
the work of one man, or more often of a fresh gardener on 
taking charge. Such frequent upsets, besides being expensive, 
are likely to prove annoying to the proprietor, who mentally 
vows that no more vineries nor Peach houses will he build. 
In other cases, when making and remaking large Vine borders, 
so great an extent of good meadow land is robbed of its thin 
and fertile surface soil without any attempt being made to 
renovate it by those responsible, that the owner is easily con¬ 
vinced by the steward or bailiff how wrong he was to sanction 
such a proceeding. No more turf worthy of the name will this 
gardener be allowed to cut. Another gardener insists upon 
buying so many loads of turf, besides bones, manures, and un¬ 
limited draining^material, in this manner contriving to make 
the border cost nearly as much as the house. If the result 
generally justified the outlay it would not so much matier, but, 
unfortunately, it does not ; the success is far from being per¬ 
manent, and the work of border-making is recommenced. 
I maintain these large borders were wrongly planned, and 
of this I have had ample proof. It seems a j revailing idea 
that Grape Vines require an inside border to the full extent of 
the house, with probably a border of the same width outside, 
and most of us know what one or both means. If these borders 
were eventually taken full possession of by the roots it would 
be a different matter, but they seldom are, and I may say in 
some of these cases nobody knows where the principal portion 
of the roots really are. I have worked for days removing a 
large inside border, and have found the remains of old horses 
—these at one time being considered valuable additions to the 
Vine borders—but found no roots worth preserving, especially 
near the burying places. They were all outside and far away 
through the regular outside border and well established in the 
ordinary garden soil. In another instance there was a large 
outside border, which, like the preceding, was not walled in, 
and had not been much disturbed for years. It had been, so 
I was informed, annually well manured and otherwise attended 
to, but on examination I could find no active rootlets, these 
again being at the extremities of the old roots across a path¬ 
way into the vegetable ground, and fully 20 feet from the 
stems. In each case (I could give more such) if a small border 
had been formed, say about 9 feet wide, either inside or out¬ 
side, and walled-in, much labour, room, and expense would 
have been saved, continuously he?ivy crops would easily have 
been secured, and great anxiety avoided. 
Large borders as a rule result in uncontrolled root-action, 
whereas in a small border we know exactly where the roots 
are, what we have to deal with, and work accordingly. Large 
quantities of manure, liquid and solid, are annually thrown 
away on these large borders ; but the network of roots in a 
limited border absorb all and repay for the supplies of rich food 
given them. Fresh turf may contain sufficient fertility for 
young gross Vines and other fruit trees at the commencement ; 
but this is soon exhausted or washed away, and in deep 
borders the roots are out of this and away, too often down¬ 
wards, before those in charge become concerned about their 
whereabouts. Now Vines or trees in narrow and comparative 
borders, like plants in large pots, almost command attention, 
and, added to this, the roots in these are easily kept alive and 
the border easily maintained in a fertile state. 
If water is scarce then let this border be outside of the 
house, but if plentiful—and remember abundance of water is 
required—then let it be inside, as being still more under con¬ 
trol. The inexperienced especially should not attempt a com¬ 
bination of the two unless they are certain of being able to 
maintain sufficient moisture inside, as the roots inevitably 
make for that most congenial, this generally being the moist 
outside border. Let those in charge of such combinations test 
the truth of this assertion, and either correct or corroborate it. 
There is no doubt much depends upon the intelligence of those 
in charge ; but I believe I may safely assert there are more of 
us who could better manage small borders than large. Given 
a small border full of roots, and the Vines can be made won¬ 
derfully productive by a mere tyro ; but the same man would 
fail with a large and unmanageable border. 
Let me advise those contemplating planting Vines or fruit 
trees under glass to form neither wide nor deep borders. They 
can make no mistake about a border for Peaches, say 6 feet 
wide and 30 inches deep, the bottom being concreted and 
covered with 9 inches of drainage material ; and for Grapes 
about 3 feet wider, and in other respects similar, unless they 
No. 129.— Vo 4 ** V., Third Series. 
No. 1785.—Yol. LXYIIl.. Old Series. 
