5G0 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



dent, because, the branches all being detached, if he were to begin at the bottom, 

 the loose branches would coutiuually be in his way. The leading branches, how- 

 ever, may be regularly spread into their permanent position ere the general 

 training of the tree begins. 



Another thing which demands consideration, and is of great importance, is to 

 know upon which side of the branch the nail should be placed. The theory and 

 practice of the work is this : the main stem ought to be trained in an erect position ; 

 the nail and shred should be placed on either side alternately. After this the 

 lower branches must be trained horizontally, the first nail and shred being placed 

 upon the upper side of the branch. A common practice is to place them on the 

 under side ; but this is a great mistake, as by doing so the branch has a great 

 chance to be split away from the stem by the drag or strain of the shred, whereas 

 if the shred is placed upon the upper side, all the strain is in an upward direc- 

 tion, and will have a tendency to prevent what the other system is likely to 

 incur. The shred placed upon the upper side pulls the branch towards its 

 natural position, whereas if placed on the under side, it pulls it into the most 

 likely position to cause injury to the tree. All the other main branches, it will 

 be noticed, should be done in a similar manner, and for the same reasons. 

 Coming, however, to the lateral or side branches, the case is reversed, because 

 those proceeding from the upper side of the main branches ought to have the 

 first nail and shred placed upon the under side, in order that the strain ought to 

 be towards the parent branch from which it sprung. The reasons for this are 

 the same as those already given in the former case. I have only further to add, 

 that every workman should have a set of ladders to himself, if the work is to be 

 thoroughly and expeditiously done. For a wall of say 15 feet, three ladders are 

 required — one about 4, one about 8, and one about 12 feet in height. Unless 

 ladders suitable for the work are provided, it is impossible that it can be well 

 done. 



I now draw these papers to a close, and I trust they have not been uninterest- 

 ing or unacceptable to the readers of the 'Gardener.' 1 have endeavoured to 

 place before the reader my own practice, so far as I thought it had been success- 

 ful ; but in many cases I have sought help and advice from those upon whom I 

 could rely, and whose knowledge and experience of hardy fruits, as well as their 

 success in management, was a guarantee that their practice would be acceptable 

 to the readers of the ' Gardener.' If in one isolated case these papers have proved 

 of any use, I will not consider my labour to have been in vain. I know that 

 what I have written may not, in many cases, agree Avith the practice of many 

 good gardeners. I nevertheless have presented my " unvarnished tale " before your 

 readers, not in the belief that all I have said is the best and only way to manage 

 hardy fruits, but in the belief that it is the best that I know. Believing as I do 

 that gardeners are always learning, I shall ever be ready to learn the practice of 

 others ; and wherever anything good or new is to be taught, there will not be a 

 more apt scholar in all the realms of Pomona's kingdom than the author of 

 these simple papers. James M'Millan. 



