248 VILLA GARDENING pakt hi 



natural upward growth must be checked. This can only be done 

 by pinching the growth in smnmer, and by a very judicioiis applica- 

 tion of the knife in winter, aided with an occasional lifting of the 

 roots. No one should be allowed to pinch or prune the branch of 

 a tree without thinking out the whole matter of the object sought 

 to be obtained, and the probable effect which a certain opera- 

 tion will have upon the work in hand. We know that if we 

 take a young Pear shoot — -say from 6 inches to 8 inches long — 

 and pinch or cut out its point, the first efiect wdll be to throw 

 additional work upon the leaves and buds below. The sap which 

 had found a channel upwards w^ould force its way laterally, and 

 for a time, till the development of new outlets, the strengthening 

 of the back parts would be eflected, but this diffusion of growing 

 force woidd never agaia be altogether fully centralised. In the 

 course of time, it is true, new outlets w^ould be made ; but if these 

 in turn Avcre judiciously stopped, the main buds and leaves at the 

 base would receive a new impulse which would assist in making 

 them strong. Leading shoots, unless they become gross, should 

 remain luistopped, as well as all shoots which may ultimately be 

 utilised in the formation of the tree, and these wiU constitute per- 

 manent outlets for growing force. The building up of pyramidal 

 Pears cannot be done ^\^thout the use of the knife, or at least 

 without pruning. If we start with a maiden tree, after cutting 

 back the main shoot, time will be gained if the next year's growth 

 be pinched in summer, when as much wood has been made as will 

 constitute a reasonable annual progi-ess. To leave all the young 

 wood in a tree, if it is to be subjected to any kind of training for 

 even a short period after the annual progress has been arranged 

 for, is calculated to upset its balance, and cause it to lose form 

 and condition. Besides, trees Avhich bear their fnut on spurs, 

 either on those of natural or artificial creation, should never be 

 permitted to run their strength to waste — a practice common to 

 those who will take no pains to master the why and wherefore of 

 summer pruning. 



Espaliers. — I look upon this as the very best and simplest of 

 all kinds of training for the Pear. The only objection is the cost 

 of the espalier wii'es, though this is not so much as it was a few 

 years ago. Espalier Pears are never out of place. They may be 

 planted in successional ranks or lines, filling up a whole quarter or 

 a large space anywhere, with a tolerable certainty that the chances 

 of failure are very remote, or if they fail, no other kind of tree 

 woidd have been likely to succeed in that particidar situation. 

 Though not absolutely necessary, it will be better to have the 

 espaliers erected before the trees are planted. No one nowadays 



