Ita # i l
Il i
!
Î
,1 *
'. i
aissatisfied and distracted in beholding any building apparently unstable. We can look
upon a mast placed obliquely, or on a tree growing aslant, with firmness and satisfaction,
because wc know the one is supported by ropes, and the other by roots ; biit ^
rnnniug much off the level, we look with a degree of distrust or of fear. I the north
wall can bo placed quite level, and also the south wall on a lower level, and so as that
the east and west walls shall fall, from nortli to south, a foot in thirty or in twcnty-fiye ;
and if the ground be lengthened from cast to west, in the proportion of three to two, the
extent being two or tln*eo acres, on such a spot may be formed a garden that wdl not
fail to please. Next, on a spot of the above, or of similar dimensions, sloping to the
south, and not level from east to west, but declining a few feet, perhaps one in fifty, to
the east : in this case the opposite walls should run directly pai-allcl to each other, both
with respect to latitude and to inclination, otherwise the eye will be displeased by the
distortecl appearance of the coping when a t the fuU height. Next, all as here described,
and the gi-ound sloping to the south and to the west. And next, a dead level spot, in
which ciSc particularly the walls should be of different heights. But ground falling to
the north, or much distorted, should be avoided, as being very unfit for erecting wads or
other buildings upon ; and on wliich a complete modern garden cannot ho formed without
considerable difficulty, and a great additional expense.” (Kalend., p. 142.)
270fi Wall'i with a south asncct, as Switzer observes, have been all along reckoned th e best for fmits,
though later observation and experience have not confirmed i t ; for when the days are somewhat long,
and the heat of the sun in its greatest strength, it is late before th e sun shines upon them, it leaves
them early in the afternoon. Besides, when it is mid-day, the sun is so much eleynteda^^^^
i-ivji- if- «hinps! h u t fiiintlv and verv slopinglv upon them, which m akes th e heat to be much the less, mas-
a i S S i e r 4 L L h a wall it beingvisible th a t both before and after nomi
the sun shines hotter than when it is in its highest meridian. Whence, it is "^^ural to mfei r t
with a little inclination, cither to the cast or west, are th e best aspects ; ami, o Î Ï L S M , th t
south-east are to be preferred to th e west or south-west, though ‘bey 'ire as much ^
cast walls are. As though th e sun shines stronger in th e afternoon than in **be m orning, because con
tinues to act on air already warmed, yet th e rays of the morning sun are m ore ^eafthj mid cheerful tha^^
those of th e afternoon sun, which, experience shows, .arc ge«ty‘^ly languid and unhealthy. In^
opinion, a south wall, mclining about twenty degrees to th e east, is P/ef«rabfo to any other
the sun shines as early on it as on a full east wall, and never departs from it till about Jw« o cfock m the
afternoon ; besides, it is something removed from those destructive winds that come from the west and
£ r t L ; o ? 4 ? r é ’lïii?pr'oVses to havo no south wall.but by tho position o t tho tour sides of his
[fig. 73è. c) endeavours to obtain a comparatively equal ffistribution of solar heat. The pl.^^^^
. - -ends contains two acres, th e ground descending from the south-west side. In respect to aspect,
he sTvs the sun’s ravs continue no longer upon the north-west wall than three in the afternoon, wmcii
is best ibr grapes, peaches, nectarines, and all other kinds of fru it th a t require the
bring them to perfection ; for, as apricots, peaches, and nectarines blossom early m th® sP'yjg’
time our climate is frequently attended with frosty nights, destructive ot both blossoms .md fr u ^
rays, darting in lines a t right angles upon the wall a t n ine o’clock, dissolve th e couçetded mo sturc much
sooner than if they darted upon it a t right angles a t noon, which they must do if
south ’Tis tru e a south wall will receive more sun by three hours, th a t i s /r om about three in tne
afternoon till near six (in the vernal equinox), but th a t is no great advantage
day the air will be sufficiently warmed. Besides, if the wall be built full south, it will not be so Proper
fo /fru it-tre e s as a south-east aspect ; for in th e middle of the day th e sun will cause
their juices faster than th eir roots can absorb them, which will render th e fru it »mailer and pulp
harder and worse flavoured, than those which receive th e heat more regular y. T h e south-east ^
receives the sun about nine o’clock, and affords a proper situation for some of best kinds of w i ^ ,
some kinds of grapes, peaches, and nectarines will ripen well against i t ; and this has one equal advantage
with th e south-west wall, viz. th a t o fth e sun’s rays striking obliquely upon it a t north
w is t aspects of walls receive but little sun, for it shines not upon them Ull three in afternoon , but
they will serve for fruits which ripen in summer, as cherries, plums, and some kinds of pears. ( J r . on
Fruit Trees, p. 33.)
/ B t Z 'ebestaspci
' L f j p e c t fo r a fruit-waU in Scotland, Nicol observes “ is about one point to th e "!
south, such 1 walls enjoying me the benefit ueucuu ui of the me morning uiuinmg sun,aun, and <«...« being ........t, turned ““ v r '— a little ........
from the violent
. . . . . nl_ ____ T_ 4V\V. ^l.fk como
west and south-west winds. South-east is, for th e same reasons, accounted by m a n y a better aspect than
south-west ” D r. Walker, on the other hand, with reference to the same country, states, th a t the six
hottest hours of the day are from eleven to live o’clock, and th a t it is not a wall of a south-east, but of a
south-west aspect, which enjoys this heat. (Essays on NtU. Hist., p. 258.)
2799. The height o f walls fo r training fr u it trees generally approved is from 10 ft. to
1 2 ft.; but it is more commonly determined by the size and form of the g ^d e n , and the
inclination of its surface. The following judicious observations of Nicol are the best
which have appeared on this subject. The ftrcgular surfaces on whicli gardens are
often obliged to be fonned in Scotland, require the greatest attention and mccty from
the designer; and hence the fulness of his remarks.
2800. With respect to the height o f fruit-walls, considered merely as such, Nicol Pje ff rs 12 ft-1 that
leight being very convenient tor the operations of pruning, watering, gathering th e fruit
nittiiig of a sufficient expansion of the branches of most tregs. But th e height garden^^walls s h ^
.a von-.itef«/! w tho ositont rtr hu tho annnrpnt extent, of th e ground encloscd by be regulated by th e extent, or by the apparent enclosed tthlieemn i. ¿Tbhee aappppaa rent
extent is mentioned as well as by the real extent, because it often depends on th e form and cast ol
grouna, in how much tho 0 , 0 s h i l be pleased. _ If it be I»!®“ ® . j f v T ‘r r a f f J ¥ii
of the
.s ; and
will be
ff a'lengthened parallelogram, larger'; and according to its flatness or its elevation, the eye i
deceived.
2S0I. A small spot surrounded by high walls has a bad effect and a i
ua-ance. The walls
being of different heights
portion,and gently elevated, the north wall may be raised to the height ot 14 i t . ; tne ease ana west wuus
to 12 ft. ; and tfie south wall to 10 ft. abovi the ground level. If the ground slope considerably,
th e breakings in th e respective heights of the walls may be le s s ; they may be only 1 f t . ; and the reliet
will be the same, or nearly the same, to the eye, in ranging along their suriaces. In a garden of grcatei
extent, the walls may be raised to a greater h e ig h t; but by no means in proportion, il it extend to
several acres. The extreme height of the north wall of any garden should never exceed 18 ft. ; and
containing, suppose four acres, the east and west walls should be 15ft., and the south wall only 12 ft.
high, in order th a t it may give the necessary relief to the eye. In a garden 400 ft. long, and 300 ft.
broad, which forms a handsome parallelogram, and contains something above two English acres, if the
ground lie on an easy slope, a very eligible height for th e north wall is 1C f t . ; for the east and west walls
14 ft, ; and for th e south wall 12 ft. But if the ground be quite level, or nearly so, th e north wall being
the same height, th e east and west walls should only be 13^ ft., and the south wall 11 ft. in h e ig h t; or
the east and west walls may only be 13 ft., and the south wall 10 ft. high, if it be a dead level. (Kalendar,
^ ‘2802. Fruit walls 7>ft. or Qft. high, H itt observes, will do very well for peaches, cherries, vines, and
figs, but he would not advise the planting of plums, apricots, or pears, on such walls ; they requiring
more room, and to stand longer before they bear. Fruit-walls 10 ft. high are preferred by Forsyth, but
he says they may extend to 14 ft. Many low walls, or stout ranges of paling, Abercrombie observes,
“ will produce a greater total of effect in accelerating fruit, than the same expenditure in high walls. ”
2803. The situation o f the garden doors in the walls demands attention. We have
already shown the importance of entering the garden from the south, south-east, or
south-west sides; and this circumstance must not be lost sight of for main entrances.
Doors in the north wall, or north ring-fence, should he considered as exclusively for the
operators of the garden. Doors, iu short, should be so contrived, as never to invite
visiters to the north slip, or so as to get behind the hothouses. The width of doors
depends on the extent of the garden, and whether the melon-ground and compost-ground
are within the walls, or in the external area. In general, the doors in the ring-fcnce,
and the walk round the outside of the garden, should be such as to admit an one-horse
cart for bringing in manure aud soils.
2804. The sloping or bevelled walls, recommended by th e author of Fruit Walls improved hy inclining
them to the Horizon, are disapproved of by Switzer, because “ though th e author’s very curious calculation
is, perhaps, nn whit inconsistent with tru th ; yet experience has taught (and that m a sloping wall
at Belvoir Castle, I think, o fth e author’s own directing), that though the sun may act with more vigour
in its solstitial capacity on a sloping than on a perpendicular wall, yet it is as deficient in its performances
in the morning ; and by the author’s own arguments, as well as the observations of almost every body
th at has made any observation a t all, that dews are expelled at least an hour in the morning sooner from
a perpendicular wall than a sloping one ; so th a t what is gained a t one time is lost a t another.” (Pract.
^ 'im h Y t lw r mo'dffications of kitchen-garden walls. H itt observes, “ I have seen some walls stuck with
tiles projecting, called horizontal shelters, some built with large pillars, and others with curves: all
these are attended with evils of one kind or o th e r; for the horizontal shelters are great receptacles of
noxious insects, particularly of the small green and variegated caterpillars. These insects devour the
leaves • and eat deeply into th e fruit when grown to a good s iz e ; so that it perishes and drops off the
trees The shelters are likewise very prejudicial to both fruit and branches, by depriving them of the
descending dews, from which they imbibe great nourishment. Large pillars or piers have almost the
same ill effects; besides, they shade the rays of the sun from th e trees, p a rt of the day, more or less, m
proportion to thcir size. Though walls built with curves have, in calm seasons, the benefit of more
hea t than others, yet, in windy weather, th e winds from some point or other rebounding from side to
side break and destroy the tender branches and blossoms of trees, whereby they are much more injured
th.an the heat reflected from one wall to the other can be of advantage to them. I have found by experience
th a t walls built straight and upon arches, as mentioned before, are preferable to all others,
having a coping which projects about 2 in. to shoot off the rain, in order to preserve the wall.” (T r . on
^ ^ ^ ^ 4 ^W itk ^■'espect to the construction of toalls fo r kitchen-gardens, the common upright, straigiit wall
is now gcneraliy preferred to the sloping,
angular, or curved walls, tried in several
places about a century ago, and criticised
by Justice, Miller, Switzer, and other au-
thors of that day. There may occur cases,
however, in which these uncommon forms,
and others which we have noticed (2015.
to 2033.), may be adopted with propriety.
A very good application of th e angular
wall, when formed of boards, may be made
in the case of a circular garden (fig. 738.).
At each angle (a, 5) a light cast-iron post
with grooves is to be inserted in the
ground ; and in these grooves, the ends of
the hoards, say in 6-feet or 8-feet lengths,
are to be inserted, and left ivithout any
fastening. If they shrink during summer,
being loose, they will only drop a little,
but never show any crevice; and, in order
to let the trees be fully exposed to the
weather in winter, or to paint, repair, or
renew th e boards, all or any part of the
latter may easily be taken out, leaving the
cast-iron props in the ground, and the
trees as entirely detached as if they were
standards or border bushes (d). In this
way, a large surface of cheap and neat
walling might be obtained in very little
space, and on the whole an agreeable
effect produced. A walk, shrubbery, and
hedge (c) may surround the whole.
2807. Hollow walls. Walls, when built of brick, may be constructed hollow, so as
to save from one fifth to one half of the materials, and may be as efficient for fruit, as if
solid. The various modes of constructing hollow brick walls have been already given.
Hollow walls of stone may be formed by using hollow light deal boxes (Jig. 739.) 3 in.
in thickness, 3 ft. long, and 2 ft. deep. The boxes arc to be used as gauges for presei-ying
the vacuities of the proper width and length ; spaces being left solid between the vacuities
It:, l l ,/
'i: A,'}