THE FRUIT GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 



551 



due provision will be made for its perform- 

 ance. By the operation, the shoots neces- 

 sary to be retained have the great advan- 

 tage of more light and air than would be 

 the case if crowded by a multiplicity of 

 laterals, retained till the time of winter 

 pruning, when they must obviously be cut 

 off, either so close as to leave no bud to 

 push, or shortened to within a [e\v eyes 

 of their bases. In the former case the 

 branch is left naked ; in the latter, when 

 the tree is sufficiently vigorous, the eyes 

 left generally push other shoots, to be again 

 cut back in winter; and thus crops of 

 shoots are annually produced, instead of 

 fruit, for many years, or until the tree ap- 

 proaches the state of old age. 



The plan which M. Cappe pursues suc- 

 ceeds admirably in the climate of Paris. 

 The fruit on the pyramid pear trees under 

 his management is stated on competent 

 authority to have been last year exceedingly 

 abundant, large, and fine. This season the 

 trees are healthy and vigorous, and well 

 furnished with blossom buds. It may be 

 said that the generally dry, clear air of 

 Paris is very different from the cloudy and 

 moist climate of many parts of Britain ; 

 the one being favorable for the formation 

 of fruit buds, whilst the other favors the 

 growth of wood and leaves ; and therefore, 

 circumstances being different, the same 

 practice may not be equally proper for 

 both. There are, moreover, instances of 

 circumstances differing so widely as to re- 

 quire opposite methods of culture. But this 

 does not hold good as regards summer 

 pinching. In England the drawback is a 

 dull atmosphere ; the shoots and foliage 

 want more air and light. Summer pinch- 

 ing affords this, inasmuch as it prevents 

 the crowding and shading of wood and 

 leaves necessary to be retained, by that 

 which is superfluous ; and therefore it must 

 be considered of still greater utility in dull 

 climates than in bright, more necessary in 

 England than in France. It is generally 

 admittcd that "where nature does most, 

 man does least;" but with regard to the 

 management of fruit-trees an exception 

 must rest till summer pruning receives as 

 much attention in England as it does in 

 the Jardin des Plantes, and elsewhere in 

 France. 



Supposing the branches of a tree are pro- 

 perly thinned and regulated at the winter 

 pruning, and that so far as they extend, 

 their number is quite sufficient for the 

 space they occupy; presuming, also, that 

 the tree is in good health, a number of 

 laterals are sure to spring. They are, of 

 course, superfluous; and every one of them 

 should be pinched as already mentioned. 

 If the last year's shoot has been shortened 

 at the winter pruning, then, besides the 

 terminal one on the part left, one, two, or 

 three next to it are almost sure to push ; 

 and these M. Cappe commences to check 

 by pinching when about three inches in 

 length ; but those nearer the base of the 

 shoot he allows to grow till they at'ain the 

 length of six or eight inches before he 

 shortens them. The terminal bud is of 

 Course allowed to go on for the prolonga- 

 tion of the branch. It frequently happens 

 in France, and the liablity will be still 

 greater in the climate of England, that 

 after a shoot is pinched back, the newly- 

 formed buds on the part left will push a 

 secondary shoot in the same season. When 

 this is the case with those under the care 

 of M. Cappe, he also pinches these second- 

 ary shoots to an inch or an inch and a half 

 from where they originate. They rarely 

 push again; but if they do, their growths 

 are again reduced as before. 



The winter pruning of pyramid Pear- 

 trees is almost reduced to a mechanical 

 operation, when the summer management 

 has been properly attended to. Keeping 

 the tapering form in view it consists in 

 cutting each shoot a little shorter than the 

 one immediately below it, taking care to 

 cut to a bud situated on the side of the 

 shoot towards that direction in which it 

 would be most desirable the prolongation 

 should proceed. Shoots that are too vigor- 

 ous for the rest are not cut to a bud on the 

 upper side, but to one situated below. 



Some trees appear to be much admired 

 by everey one on account of the introduc- 

 tion of another feature of regularity in 

 training, besides that of a merely tapering 

 contour. These had what is called a tutor, 

 — that is a straight perpendicular stake, to 

 which the stem is trained ; and from the 

 top of this stake five wires are stretched to 

 as many equidistant points on a hoop near 



