NEW METHOD 0? TRAINING FRUIT TREES* JJ 



to the light, without placing any of the leaves so as toshade 

 others, than can probably be done in any other mode of train- 

 ing; and in consequence of this arrangement, the growth of 

 the trees was so great, that at two years old some of them 

 were fifteen feet wide ; and the young wood in every part ac- 

 quired the most perfect maturity. In the winter, the shoots 

 of the last season were alternately shortened, and left their 

 whole length, and they were then prepared to afford a most 

 abundant and regular blossom in the succeeding spring. 



In the autumn of the third year the trees were nearly as Third year. 

 represented in Fig. 3, the central part of each being formed 

 of very fine bearing wood; and the size and general health 

 of the trees afford evidence of a more regular distribution 

 of the sap, than I have witnessed in any other mode of 

 training. 



In the preceding method of treating peach trees very little Necessity of 

 use was made of the knife during winter: and I must re- ^d^bT** 

 mark, that the necessity of winter pruning should generally much as pos- 

 be avoided as much as possible; for by laying in a much s ' ble P revent * 

 larger quantity of wood in the summer and autumn than 

 can be wanted in the succeeding year, the gardener gains no 

 other advantage, than that of having a " great choice of fine 

 bearing wood to fill his walls," and I do not see any advan- 

 tage in his having much more than he wants; on the con- - 

 trary, the health of the tree always suffers by too much use 

 of the knife through successive seasons. 



To enter into the detail of pruning, in the manner in Remarks on 

 which I think it might be done with most advantage, would pruning 

 of necessity lead me much beyond the intended limits of my l)cac 

 present communication ; but I shall take this opportunity 

 of offering a few observations on the proper treatment of 

 luxuriant shoots of the peach tree, the origin and otfice of 

 which, as well as the right mode of pruning them, are not 

 at all understood either by the writers on gardening of this 

 country, or the Continent. 



I have shown in the Phil. Trans, for 1805*, that the albur- xhe alburnum 

 num, or sap wood of oak trees loses a considerable part of a reservoir of 

 its weight during the period in which its leaves are formed **** win e 



• Sec Journal, Vol. XII, p. 233. 



B a ia 



