1587. The surrounding fence may be a wall, close pales, a holly, thorn, sloe-thorn, or damson-plum hedge, according to circumstances; if a hedge of any kind, then standard plum, pear, apple, or cherry trees, may be planted in it; if a wall, the same sorts may be trained against it. Next to the fence, a border should be earned round the whole; a similar border may be formed round the house, and the area for culture will then be thrown into two compartments, one behind the house, and one in front of it. The compartments may be surrounded with a line of gooseberries and currants, and a few standard apples or plums (as being the two most useful cottage fruits) scattered over the whole. Against the house may be planted currants, pears, or a vine, according to the situation and climate. Honeysuckles and monthly roses may be planted next the porch; ivy against the water-closet; and the scented clematis against the pigsty. The border round the house should be devoted to savoury pot-herbs, as parsley, thyme, mint, chives, &c., and to flowers and low flowering shrubs. The surrounding border, under the wall or hedge, should be devoted to early and late culinary crops, as early potatoes, peas, turnips, kidneybeans, &c. No forest trees, especially the ash and the elm, should be planted in, or if possible, even near, the cottager's garden, as these are ruinous to crops; the first, both by its shade and roots, and the latter by its roots, which spread rapidly to a great extent, close under the surface. The oak is the tree least injurious to a garden.
