250 VILLA GARDENING paut hi 



cultivation, though no doubt it is destined to fill an important niche 

 in the fruit-grower's repertoire. There are plenty of vacant spaces 

 on garden walls where one or two branched cordons might profit- 

 ably be planted. They may be trained in any direction, either upright 

 or more or less oblique, the latter being the best shape, as vertical 

 training has always a weakening eft'ect upon the base, and should 

 not, except under circumstances where it cannot well be avoided, 

 be adopted. In no case, if permanency be desired, should a space 

 less than 1 2 inches be left between the main branches, and it will, 

 in the long run, be found better to give a little more space rather 

 than less. As time advances, the reason of this will become obvious. 

 Good foliage and strong fruitful buds cannot be reared without 

 an abundance of light, and close training does not permit of that. 

 This may not be so evident for the first few years, but after a time 

 the spurs spread out, and the foliage from the laterals on one branch 

 meets and overlaps, it may be, its neighbour's, shutting^out its legiti- 

 mate share of sunshine, and destroying, or at least injuring, its 

 chance of continuing fruitfid. Near the centre of the trees this 

 will be more apparent, and very much mischief is now being done 

 by this covetous method of training fruit trees, covering up amid 

 a dense mass of foliage every bit of bare wall, forgetting that one 

 of the objects of a wall is to improve the climate by absorbing 

 the sun's rays during the day and giving the heat off again at 

 night. Cordon Pears or Apples may be used to utilise any bit of 

 land where the situation is sheltered but not shaded. Wherever 

 it is convenient to strain a wire, there a Pear tree may be planted. 

 A bit of land may be covered with wires strained a foot or so from 

 the ground, 18 inches apart, and quite a collection of Pears 

 planted, which may become most interesting — only the roots must 

 be kept near the surface, and if on the Quince, the surface must 

 be heavily mulched. Such trees often escape spring frosts, 

 when the blossoms on larger and taller trees are destroyed ; tliey 

 may also be very easily protected, and a cro}) be made a matter of 

 certainty. 



Pears on Walls. — The valuable late fruits should occupy the 

 best aspects, and the early-ripening sorts, such as the Jargonelle, 

 Doyenn^ d'Ete', etc., be planted on the worst. As a rule the east 

 and west aspects are planted with Pears, the south wall being re- 

 served for Apricots and Peaches. The mode of training Pears on 

 walls is a mere matter of taste. The tree thrives so well under 

 any system of training, that no system need be exalted at the 

 expense of another. If I have any preference it is in favour of the 

 horizontal, to be merged into the Palmette Verrier for tall walls. 

 Tlie training in the last two methods is so simple, and there is no 



