1869.] CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 539 



afterwards an occasional root-pruning will be found of much benefit. 

 It will be unnecessary for us to go into more detail regarding the 

 further pruning and training of the Plum, as in most particulars it is 

 the same as recommended for the Pear. It is a good thing, however, to 

 be always introducing a few fresh shoots, as the older branches and spurs 

 sometimes become a little exhausted, and are all the better for being 

 renewed. This is a good method to adopt, as sometimes the spurs 

 become so attenuated and far removed from the wall that it is neces- 

 sary, for appearance' sake, to have them removed — so that, where such 

 provision is made, no blank will be made, and their want will not be 

 so much felt. 



Plums are very seldom used as riders, but where this is the case, they 

 ought to be either grafted or budded about 6 feet high, or have a 

 leader grown up to that height from the dwarf-worked trees, when they 

 may be cut over at the same height, and managed in exactly the same 

 manner thereafter, as we have recommended for the dwarf-trained 

 trees. The principal use to which these trees may be put is between 

 the dwarf-trained ones, to fill up the walls until such time as the per- 

 manent ones are large enough to nearly do so themselves. Looking 

 at the matter from an economical point of view, we would not recom- 

 mend them, as the plum being a rapid grower, the dwarf trees would 

 require the greater part of the wall to themselves before any great crop 

 could be expected from the riders, unless they were established and 

 bearing trees when planted. 



If the horizontal mode of training is to be adopted, let the leader be 

 cut back as already directed to about 9 inches from the ground, leaving 

 three nice plump buds at the top for the leader and the two first hori- 

 zontal branches. At the end of the first year's growth, cut the leader 

 back to within about 9 inches from where it started, leaving, as before, 

 three nice buds to form a centre and the second course of branches. 

 The side shoots may be cut back to the first bud as far out 

 as the wood is ripe, as it will not be necessary to cut so far back in 

 this mode of training as in the fan, as no side shoots are required 

 except from the centre. The side branches ought to be elevated at an 

 angle of about 45^, and be gradually lowered until they arrive at the 

 horizontal line about 1 foot from the ground. The same course of 

 pruning and training may be regularly pursued year after year, until 

 the tree has reached the top of the wall, when it should have a regular 

 course of branches from top to bottom, about 9 inches apart, which we 

 consider to be wide enough for almost all sorts of Plums, except a few 

 of those possessing very large leaves, which may be benefited by having 

 the distances between the branches increased to about 1 foot apart. 



It will be found of great advantage and benefit to the trees if the 



