298 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



822. Continuing the mode of cultui*e recommended by Mr. Rivers from 

 the autumn after grafting, till the fourth or fifth year, when it is beginning to 

 show fruit-buds, these, which it is the object of this training to promote, 

 are distributed along the branches, in their whole length, in spur-bearing 

 fruit, as the apple and pear. In the peach tribe, short spur-like shoots appear 

 towards the end of August, beai'ing ti'iple buds, — a plump silvery one on 

 each side, and a thin one in the centre. This central bud is the terminal leaf- 

 bud ; the two others, blossom-buds, which, in March, will have opened their 

 silvery coat, showing the bright pink of the blossom. These indications 

 appear in the thii-d year after planting. Their development is promoted by 

 carefully watching every branch, checking the more vigorous shoots by 

 pinching off the terminal buds, or by breaking or half-breaking them, so as 

 to check the flow of the sap. The work of pruning begins with the second 

 year's growth. In the winter following, the terminal branches will present a 

 series of small shoots more or less vigorous, and the required pruning will be 

 according to their vigour ; repressing the stronger as early as possible by 

 pinching off the leading shoots, and encouraging the weaker shoots ; thus 

 balancing the growth of the tree, and suffering no more branches or leaves to 

 be produced than can properly perform their function of elaborating and 

 storing up matter for the production of fruit, — a function for Avhich a full 

 exposure of every part of the tree to light and air is quite essential. It is the 

 pruner's work to remove all shoots which do not fulfil this condition, by rubbing 

 them off, and arresting the over-luxuriant ones by timely pinching off the 

 terminal bud. Others, suited for his purpose, he leaves at their full length, 

 merely depressing their points, which will induce them to push from every 

 bud fruitful twigs of moderate growth, or he prvmes back a weak shoot to 

 two or three buds, raising the point in a perpendicular direction, knowing that 

 the sap may thus be concentrated so as to produce a more vigorous growth. 

 If he wishes to increase the vigour of his trees, he will prune them early in 

 autumn, so that the sap they may accumulate in the winter is not thrown 

 away ; he studies, in fact, the ways and means of the tree ; nor does he forget 

 that the roots should be under control as well as the branches. The treatment 

 should be preventive as well as remedial ; the latter, indeed, as Mr. Rivers 

 tells us, " is out of place in a well-ordered garden, — the finger and thumb, and 

 a moderate-sized penknife, should do all the pruning required." 



823. Sir Joseph Paxton's houses, which we have described elsewhere, may 

 be so extended as to form an excellent range of orchard-houses at a compara- 

 tively small cost, while the crops of fruit and vegetables are not only excellent 

 in quality, but certain in their results, no matter how unpropitious the season. 

 A winter garden of this description, on a large scale, has been erected lately 

 at Summerfield, for R. L. Chance, Esq., from which, with judicious manage- 

 ment. Sir Joseph expects great results. It consists of a range of span roofs 

 of 14-foot sashes, which occupy the centre of the garden in the form of a 

 quadrangle, connected with the house by a corridor, foimed of the same 



