498 
THE COTTAGE GARDENEK. 
March 81 . 
project nine inches: they are of stone. The copings I 
iiave to suggest are of a moveable character, and should 
project (|uite a foot; and wood will be found the most 
digible material. The wall builders, in this case, must 
remember to build in some iron brackets for sustaining 
them; their distances being, of course, ruled by the 
length of boarding employed. These brackets must be 
firmly fi.ved, and be strong in themselves, in order to 
bear their burden safely. It would be well to carry 
them through the wall, with a “T-end” in the opposite 
side for strength ; but however done, they must be firm. 
On the side designed for protection, the irons must, of 
course, have a return-end, to sustain the boards in tbeir 
place. During Juno, July, and August, the boards may 
be taken down and boused until September, when they 
may again be put in requisition; at which period, by 
keeping the trees dry, and impeding radiation from the 
wall during the night, they will promote the ripening of 
the wood. 
We come now to the walks requisite. These are some¬ 
times obliged to be in part ruled by existing outer walks, 
but the best plan is to throw tbe interior area into four 
squares, or quarters, be the size what it may. If the 
extent is veri/ considerable, it may be necessary to sub¬ 
divide these quarters; from thirty to fifty yards in 
length makes a good cropping line for vegetables; a 
much greater length is inconvenient, as causing much 
trouble in shifting tho garden lines for vegetable opera¬ 
tions ; and, moreover, in drill drawing, a line of more 
than fifty yards is weak, and requires to be sustained 
with side pegs; all this occasions loss of time. Our 
quarters here are just fifty yards in length, and we find 
them tolerably convenient, but should not desire them 
to be longer. It must here be observed, however, that 
if the margins of the quarters are to be occupied with 
dwarfed fruit-trees, it is by no means expedient to have 
the quarters any smaller than the minimum length here 
offered. When such is the case, the whole area becomes 
so blocked up when the ti-ees attain their full stature, 
that there is no “ breathing space” for vegetables; all 
becomes confused, and, of course, what crops can be 
obtained will prove of very inferior quality. 
We must come now to the width of the walks, 
both principal and subordinate; such considerations 
being forced into the subject through tbe necessity of 
paying a duo regard to tlie trees, as to distance and 
other subsequent arrangements. Of course, the width 
of the walks must, in some degree, depend on the size 
and general style of the gardens—what width is really 
requisite for the trees as breathing-room, and to facili¬ 
tate all future operations, is the primary consideration; 
and next to this principle, proportion, and convenience 
for walking must be thought of. Proportion, of course, 
refers to the general style and pretensions of the grounds ; 
and as to convenience, that depends on the require¬ 
ments of tho family. If the main lines of such a garden 
ai-e to become an occasional promenade, and the pdaceis 
rather roomy, seven feet in width for the chief walks 
will not be too mucb ; but if tbe most severe economy 
is required, five feet must suffice ; less, for this style of 
garden, I dare not advise. Now, to steal a march on our 
subject for a moment. Tho walks being at a minimum 
point — five feet, and, let us say, the dwarfing fruit 
trees about tw'elve feet apart, and at four feet from the 
edge of the walk—they will each have fourfeet room to 
1 stretch on the walk side, and six feet in the border line; 
but then they may—where room must be economised— 
be permitted a little occasional liberty, a slight trespass 
over the border-line, unless on trellisses; when, of course, 
the whole thing becomes more pmecise. 
Let not our readers, however, imagine that a foot of 
extra room is thrown away altogether in the case of fruit 
trees; afoot in width, as to rows of Cabbages, or other 
vegetable crops, is a consideration; such may be cal¬ 
culated on to an inch; but they p)roduce no branches— 
their growTh is more regular, and they are more ephe- 
ineral in their nature. I have seen many a garden in 
which both fruits and vegetables were severely injured 
annually by a false economy at the outset. In this, as 
in most other affairs of life, much depends on having a 
distinct aim at the outset. 
Water. —I must stay a moment at this point, to urge 
the great importance of establishing a piece of water in 
the centre of every garden, if a permanent supply can 
be had. It is impossible to over-estimate the benefits 
and conveniences resulting from this source. It is all 
very proper to talk about thorough drainage, but our 
friends must remember, that some soils inclined to be 
stagnant, are, nevertheless, subject to occasional droughts; 
and that Fruit Trees on a dwarfing system, having their 
fibres nearer the surface than ordinary standards, are, 
therefore, more liable to partake of the changes of the 
atmosphere; and, indeed, are intended to do so : extremes 
of drought, however, have to be avoided, and especially 
in the case of heavy crops of fruit; but then there is 
the vegetable cropping also to be benefited; and it is 
to me a painful sight to observe a labourer, during 
drought, carrying cans of hard and cold water from some 
pump, situated, perhaps, as far on the outside the garden 
doors as the needy subjects are on the inside. Still, 
this is not all; during the busy period much watering 
is neglected under such circumstances. 
Let every one establishing a fruit and vegetable 
garden seriously consider this. 
A piece of water of this kind may be circidar; may 
be of brick, cemented, or of stone; the diameter may be 
partly ruled by the size of the garden, as disproportion 
is to be avoided; from eight to twelve feet diameter will 
convey an idea of what is meant. We have such here 
in three different parts of the gardens, and they are 
always full, being fed by a Hydraulic Raai, which is 
one of the most useful engines ever invented. Each 
reservoir has a ball-tap, and then they are self-sustaining. 
Such reservoirs should be about fifteen to eighteen 
inches above the ground level, whatever there may be 
below it; and, in some cases, it may be expedient to 
bring the drainage waters of the garden into it. 
Those who desire embellishment may choose a 
fountain in the centre, or may add rock-work, aquatics, 
and even gold and silver fish. One thing I had almost 
forgotten to point to, and that is, the superiority of such 
aired and softened water over that of the pump. 
R. Erkingtox. 
MEETING OF THE HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY.— luTH March, 1853. 
Tins was the finest day of the first half of March, 
and the Meeting was unusually crowuled. After every 
seat in the room was occupied, fashionable and more 
fashionable arrivals were announced, and chairs had 
to be mustered from a store w'hich is kept in reserve for 
a heavy push like this. The room was not overcrowded, 
however, with spring flowers; but we had several things 
of very great interest, nevertheless; and the most so—as 
it appeared to me, and I judged from the way the atten¬ 
tion of the great “ countiy party” was rivetted on that 
part of tho Lecture—was a piece of the timber of Fitz- 
roya Patayonica, from Mr. Standish ; a handsome 
evergreen tree, which I lately described, and which is as 
hardy as our Yew, and seems to gi’ow as fast as a 
Poplar. Now, we know the kind of timber it produces 
on the western slopes of the Patagonian Alps; and we 
can affirm that, in addition to its being one of the 
newest and most graceful-looking of all our hardy trees, 
it is also of the highest promise in respect to the yield 
of timber, and to its value when we have it in sufficient 
I 
