404 



THE PArtKS AND GARDENS OF TARTS. [Chap. XXIII. 



there is no evidence, however, proving this form to be better than 

 the simple pyramid. 



The excellent practice of cutting in pyramidal and other trees 

 that happen to be worthless varieties, and re-grafting them with 

 superior kinds, is much practised by the French growers and 

 amateurs. This system is quite as applicable to wall-trees as to 

 pyramids or standards. In numbers of our gardens great good 



might be effected by re- 

 i' graftingwith good vari- 



eties, and doing away 

 with the worthless ones 

 so very commonly seen. 

 The columnar mode of 

 training to be seen 

 here and there in 

 France, is considered 

 better than the pyra- 

 midal form, where 

 saving of space is an 

 object, and where too 

 much shading of the 

 crops by the trees is 

 uDdesirable. The 

 woodcut on page 333 

 shows a tree before the 

 winter-pruning takes 

 place, and, as will be 

 seen, it is an erect stem 

 densely furnished 

 with short fruiting- 

 branches. Except on the Quince in suitable soils, it is not likely 

 to present many advantages ; for if on the Pear and confined 

 thus closely to a fastigiate bundle of shoots, it would in all pro- 

 bability run too high to permit of proper annual pruning or of the 

 crop being gathered with convenience. Judging by the strength 

 and thickness displayed by our old horizontal wall-trees grafted 

 on the Pear-stock, we should, if we adopted a contracted form like 

 this with trees worked on the Pear, in a few years have objects 

 more like rustic gate-posts than trees. 



Wall Pear-tree re-grafted. On each of the branches A, B, C, 

 D, a graft has been placed. The graft at C failed, and 

 consequently a shoot, e, is alloTved to ascend ; so that it 7>iny 

 be budded the autumn folLnuing the graftitig. 



