JAN.] THE FRUIT GARDEN. 35 



PRUNING APPLE AND PEAR-TREES IN ESPALIERS, OR TRAINED TO 

 WALLS OR BOARD FENCES. 



Apple and pear-trees being of the spur-bearing kind, and their 

 mode of bearing similar, one method of pruning answers for both ; 

 they producing their fruit upon short natural spurs from the sides 

 and ends of the branches, and the same branches continue bearing 

 for many years, increasing their quantity of fruit spurs as they gra- 

 dually advance in length ; let it therefore be remarked, that in the 

 general course of pruning those trees, their branches and shoots are 

 not to be shortened, but generally trained along horizontally to the 

 espalier and wall at their natural length, at least as far as there is 

 scope of room to extend them; never shortened, except on particular 

 occasions below explained, and the whole trained four to five or six 

 inches asunder. 



Keeping therefore this in mind, look over the general branches, 

 in which observe, that in such advancing young trees as are still in 

 training, requiring a further supply of young wood to form the head, 

 be careful to select and retain a proper quantity of the best placed 

 last summer's shoots at full length, and generally a terminal shoot to 

 each mother branch, and cut out all the superfluous and irregular 

 ones; but in full-trained or old trees, still retaining the former 

 trained or same individual bearing branches for many years, as long 

 as they continue fruitful ; and only examine any particular branches 

 that appear worn out or decayed, or any that are too much crowded 

 or very irregular, and let such now be pruned out; at the same time 

 observe where any of the last summer's shoots are wanted to supply 

 vacant spaces, and retain them accordingly; cutting out all the super- 

 fluous or over abundant close to the main branches; likewise, let all 

 foreright and other irregular-placed shoots be cut away, carefully re- 

 taining the leading shoot to all the main branches where there is a 

 scope to run them, so retaining the general branches and the neces- 

 sary supply of young wood about four to five or six inches asunder, 

 to be trained to the trellis or wall, &c., all at their full length as 

 aforesaid ; and, according as they advance in length, still continue 

 extending them, or without shortening, at least as far as their limited 

 space admits. 



In the course of this pruning, have particular care to preserve all 

 the natural fruit-spurs ; but cut away all those formed of the remain- 

 ing stumps of shorted shoots, for these rarely produce anything but 

 a confusion of unnecessary wood-shoots every summer; and for 

 which reason be careful, in pruning out the superfluous and irregular 

 shoots, always to cut them off quite dose from whence they originate.* 



Then train in all the remaining proper branches and shoots at 

 their full length, about from four to five or six inches asunder, as 



* The better way to prevent superfluous lateral shoots is to pinch them 

 into a few buds from time to time through the summer, and prune into one 

 or two eyes in the winter. This practice will, after some two or three 

 years, destroy the exuberance, and form fruit-buds, instead of wood-shoots. 



