254 TWO NEW FOKMS OF TRAINING WALL TREES. 



and especially those of fan-training, ccmdelahre, or horizontal, 

 from double stems, demand no little attention and care in order 

 that the vegetation of the different parts of the tree may be kept 

 in equilibrium. This cannot by any means be done by every 

 gardener, and occupies a very considerable quantity of time. 



In short, as matters stand, a period of time varying from 

 eleven to twenty-one years, according to the species, is required to 

 make a tree completely cover the space which ought to be 

 allotted to it. A consequence of this is, that about one half of 

 the wall remains unoccupied for five, eight, or ten years, accord- 

 ing to the kind of tree, without reckoning the spaces which are 

 lost during the whole life of a tree by the death of one of its 

 branches. The unprofitableness of one half of tlie wall for nearly 

 eight years, in the case of Pear-trees, is to be regretted, notwith- 

 standing that it bears a small proportion to the whole time 

 during which these trees are profitable, and which, under good 

 management, is about sixty years. But this loss becomes much 

 more important in the case of stone-fruits, such as the Peach, 

 which does not last above twenty years, or as the Apricot, 

 Cherry, and Plum, which cannot be kept profitably more than 

 thirty years. 



It was to avoid this loss of space and time that formerly the 

 trees were (and even now too often are) planted much closer to 

 each other than we have mentioned, so that each one covered 

 much less space, and was more quickly developed. But this 

 plan is still more disadvantageous than the other ; for the sap, 

 being confined in too small a space, makes the tree so vigorous 

 that it will not fruit at all. 



We have several times seen Pears on walls thus planted, and 

 which, although some forty years old, had produced nothing but 

 such an abundant supply of wood, that it had to be removed 

 every year. At other times trees are planted close, with the 

 intention that when they interfere with each other every other 

 one shall be removed. But then one does not like to make this 

 sacrifice when the time for it arrives ; or, if it be made, the 

 trees which remain can withdifliculty cover the spaces left vacant, 

 inasmuch as their roots, as they extend, enter ground already ex- 

 hausted by the trees removed. 



To overcome these inconveniences we were led to train fruit- 

 trees in two forms, which can be established with less difficulty 

 than any other, and which, allowing the trees to cover tlie wall 

 regularly and quickly, do not interfere with their longevity or 

 productiveness. One of these forms is the following : — 



Simple oblique course (fig. 2). The annexed figure was ori- 

 ginally published in 1846, in the first edition of tlie Author's 

 Cours d' Arboriculture. 'N^^e have no hesitation in again draw- 



