_Fruit-Tree Borders._--No pains should be spared, in the preparation of
fruit-tree borders, to secure their thorough drainage. In case of
adhesive clayey subsoil this can generally be secured by placing over
the sloping bottom a good layer of coarse rubbly material, communicating
with a drain in front to carry off the water, while earthenware drain
tubes may be laid beneath the rubble from 8 to 10 ft. apart, so as to
form air drains, and provided with openings both at the side of the walk
and also near the base of the wall. Over this rubbly matter, rough turfy
soil, grass-side downwards, should be laid, and on this the good
prepared soil in which the trees are to be planted.
The borders should consist of 3 parts rich turfy loam, the top spit of a
pasture, and 1 part light gritty earth, such as road-grit, with a small
portion (one-sixth) of fine brick rubbish. They should not be less than
12 ft. in breadth, and may vary up to 15 or 18 ft., with a fall from the
wall of about 1 in. in 3 ft. The border itself should be raised a foot
or more above the general level. The bottom of the border as well as
that of the drain must be kept lower than the general level of the
subsoil, else the soakage will gather in all the little depressions of
its surface. Fruit-tree borders should not be at all cropped with
culinary vegetables, or very slightly so, as the process of digging
destroys the roots of the trees, and drives them from near the surface,
where they ought to be.
Shallow planting, whether of wall trees or standards, is generally to be
preferred, a covering of a few inches of soil being sufficient for the
roots, but a surface of at least equal size to the surface of the hole
should be covered with dung or litter so as to restrain evaporation and
preserve moisture. In the case of wall trees, a space of 5 or 6 in. is
usually left between the stem at the insertion of the roots and the
wall, to allow for increase of girth. Young standard trees should be
tied to stakes so as to prevent their roots being ruptured by the
wind-waving of the stems and to keep them erect. The best time for
planting fruit trees in the open air is from the end of September till
the end of November in open weather.
In the selection and distribution of fruit trees regard must of course
be had to local situation and climate. The best walls having a south or
south-east aspect are devoted to the peach, nectarine, apricot, dessert
pears, plums and early cherries. Cherries and the generality of plums
succeed very well either on an east or a west aspect. Morello cherries,
apples and stewing pears succeed well on a north wall. In Scotland the
mulberry requires the protection of a wall, and several of the finer
apples and pears do not arrive at perfection without this help and a
tolerably good aspect. The wall-trees intended to be permanent are
called dwarfs, from their branches springing from near the ground.
Between these, trees with tall stems, called riders, are planted as
temporary occupants of the upper part of the wall. The riders should
have been trained in the nursery into good-sized trees, in order that
when planted out they may come into bearing as speedily as possible.
_Standard Fruit Trees_ should not be planted, if it can be avoided, in
the borders of the kitchen garden, but in the outer slips, where they
either may be allowed to attain their full size or may be kept dwarfed.
Each sort of fruit should be planted by itself, for the sake of orderly
arrangement, and in order to facilitate protection when necessary by a
covering of nets. Their produce is often superior in flavour to that of
the same kind of fruit grown on walls.
_Orchard-house Trees._--Peaches, nectarines, apricots, figs and dessert
plums, cherries, apples and pears are commonly cultivated in the
orchard-house. Peaches and nectarines are generally planted out, while
the rest are more commonly cultivated in pots. This allows of the
hardier pot plants being removed out of doors while those planted out
are in need of the room. The pot plants are overhauled in the autumn,
the roots pruned, a layer being cut off to allow new soil to be
introduced. Surface dressing and feeding by liquid manure should also be
afforded these plants while the fruit is swelling. Every effort should
be made to complete the growth of peaches and nectarines while the sun
is sufficiently strong to ripen them. Tomatoes are frequently employed
to fill gaps in the orchard-house. Should it be provided with a central
path, requiring shade, Hambro and Sweet-water grapes serve the purpose
well, and in favourable seasons afford excellent crops of fruit.