TRAINING OF STANDARDS. 53 



tions only where they would do equally well or better as 

 standards. 



In many excellent gardens, dwarf standards are prefer- 

 red to espalier rail-trees. They are placed along the inner 

 borders at 8 or 10 feet apart. When proper attention is 

 paid to such trees, the effect is very pleasing, each being in 

 itself a handsome object, and generally clothed with fine 

 fruit. Where the situation is warm, and the climate 

 favorable, a few of such of the finer pear-trees as have 

 hardy blossoms should be planted out in this form. Though 

 they may fail to ripen their fruit in some seasons, they will 

 often add greatly to the resources of the fruit-room, their 

 produce being frequently superior in flavor to the pears 

 grown against walls. 



Training. — Two functions belong to training — that, 

 namely, which modifies the form of the trees, and that 

 which regulates the bearing wood, and consequently the 

 supply of blossom. The latter, more accurately termed 

 pruning, being of a varied character, adapted to the habits 

 of the different kinds of fruit-trees, will more properly 

 fall to be considered when treating of the peach, pear, 

 plum, &c. ; at present we shall make a few remarks on the 

 former. The essential properties of training are, that it 

 should be simple, not requiring frequent amputation of 

 large branches ; that it should be appropriate to the growth 

 of the tree, and such as to promote the production of fruit. 

 The knife is the great instrument in training, and whoever 

 can wield it skilfully will have a perfect command over his 

 trees : at the same time, it may be laid down as a maxim, 

 that it should be used with some degree of reserve, as 

 nothing is more prejudicial to the health and fruitfulness 

 of all sorts of tree^ than severe and injudicious cutting. 



Training of Standards. — Orchard-trees are generally 



