110 THE GARDENER. [March 



about IJ feet in winter, which will make it a fine height for a dwarf. 

 In summer, according to its strength, it will form from three to six 

 branches, which, if nicely disposed, may be shortened a little in 

 winter, leaving the buds at the point looking in the direction in 

 which branches are wanted. Should they have a tendency to grow 

 too erect, it would be as well to tie them down a little, placing them 

 equidistant, so as to form the groundwork of a nicely-formed tree. No 

 further instructions upon this point of management can be given. The 

 cultivator must use his own judgment, striving in all his after-manage- 

 ment to spread the tree as much as possible to get every branch in its 

 proper place, and when once there to keep it there, inducing it to 

 grow as erect as possible — never allowing two branches to cross each 

 other in growth, and endeavouring, as far as possible, to have each 

 branch about 1 foot from the other. If due attention is paid to the 

 training, in the course of ten or twelve years a handsome tree, cover- 

 ing about 5 feet all round the stem, with from eighty to ninety 

 branches about 6 or 7 feet high, will be formed, which we consider 

 quite high enough where look and usefulness are both considered. A 

 tree trained in this method will bear more and better fruit than many 

 trees which appear double their size, and are full of cross and ugly 

 branches. Suppose every branch of 6 feet in length is allowed tt) 

 bear 3 lb. of fruit, which many may be inclined to say is a very 

 little crop, but which nevertheless is quite sufficient, it will be found 

 that, if there are ninety branches, the total crop will thus be about 270 

 lb.; besides, the fruit will be both larger and of better quality on 

 account of the distance between the branches, which allows a free 

 circulation of air, as w^ell as exposing the whole to the free action of 

 the sun. Tall standards are just managed much in the same manner 

 after the stem has arrived at the desired height. They are more 

 adapted for orchard than garden culture, however, and are generally 

 allowed to grow to a considerable height. Nice trees can be formed 

 upon stems 3 feet high, which appear in the distance like large globes. 

 No regular rule can be laid down for their production — the cultivator 

 must use his own skill and knife in order to produce the desired effect. 

 In fact, this may be said of all orchard trees. As neither cuts nor 

 letterpress can properly illustrate them, a man must have seen the 

 operation performed, and helped to perform it himself, before he can 

 with confidence attempt it. There are many other forms of training 

 which might be spoken of ; for example, the vase, the vase-pyramid, 

 the balloon, &c. &c. ; but the greater portion of them are more intended 

 for look than utility, and as our object in writing these papers has 

 more reference to the latter than the former object, we will content 

 ourselves by simply naming them. 



