100 PRUNING. [CHAP. V. 



It should never be forgotten, that, to effect 

 permanent improvements, nature should be 

 aided, not overstrained ; and that all extra- 

 ordinary exertions are succeeded by a period of 

 feebleness and languor, or, if the exertion be 

 continued too long, by death. Thus, in all 

 cases, pruning and training to produce fruit 

 should never be pushed too far ; as, though by 

 occasioning an extraordinary deposit of the 

 returning sap in some particular part that part 

 may be forced into fruit, the unnatural deposit 

 cannot fail in the end to engender disease. 



Sometimes a tree, from being supplied with 

 more food than it can digest, or from some 

 other cause, has a tendency to produce what 

 the English gardeners call water-shoots, and 

 which the French call gourmands. These are 

 strong vigorous-growing branches, which are 

 sent up from the main trunk of the tree, but 

 which do not produce either flowers or fruit; 

 and which, consequently, if the tree be full of 

 wood, should be removed as soon as their true 

 character is discovered. If, however, the tree 

 have too little wood in the centre, or if it 

 appear exhausted by too much bearing, these 

 branches should be spared, as they will serve 

 admirably both to fill up any blanks that may 

 have been left in the training, and to strengthen 

 the trunk and roots by the quantity of rich re- 

 turning sap which they will send down from 

 their numerous leaves. A certain quantity of 

 leaves and barren branches are essential to the 

 health of every tree ; and the fruit-grower who 

 consults his own interest should cherish them, 

 instead of grudging the sap required for their 



