144 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [FEB. 



as you shall see necessary, to train them all at equal distances ; or 

 when there are several large branches to be taken out in different 

 parts, the whole tree should be unn ailed or unbound, then you can 

 more readily train the general branches and bearers in exact order. 



Next, let it be observed, that where a supply of wood is wanted, 

 leave some of the best situated of last summer's shoots, such as 

 directed to be retained in the summer pruning, to fill up the vacan- 

 cies ; and generally leave a leading one at the end of each branch 

 where you have room to train them. But all others of the last year's 

 shoots, not wanted for the above purpose, should every one be cut off 

 close to the places from whence they proceed, leaving no spurs but 

 what are naturally produced. The proper fruit-spurs are such as 

 were described last month, being produced on the sides and ends of 

 the branches, short, robust, and from about half an inch to an inch 

 or two in length. 



Let these fruit- spurs be well attended to in pruning, carefully 

 preserving all those of a fresh, plump, robust growth ; but those of 

 a worn-out or rugged unsightly appearance, or that project consider- 

 ably long and irregular from the front of the branches in a foreright 

 direction, should generally be displaced, in order to preserve the 

 regularity of the trees, taking care to cut them off close, by which 

 new ones will be encouraged in places contiguous. 



Having, in the course of pruning these trees, left most of the gene- 

 ral shoots and branches at their natural length, as before advised, in 

 all places whefe there is full scope to extend them, let them be all 

 trained regularly in that order, and nailed straight and close to the 

 wall, or nailed or tied to the espalier about four, five, or six inches 

 distant. For the management of young trees of these sorts, see the 

 work of the Fruit Garden in March, and for the methods of pruning 

 and treating your standard fruit-trees in this department, see the 

 article Orchard in January, pages 56, 57, and 58, and also the same 

 head both in this month and March. 



FANCY TRAINING OF FRUIT-TREES. 



It is a favorite theory of some writers that fruitfulness and bar- 

 renness in plants and trees are influenced by the mode of training. 

 Constraining fruit-trees within limited bounds, we know, answers a 

 good purpose. Hay ward, an English writer on the subject, has ex- 

 plained various modes, which we here repeat for the amusement of 

 amateurs. The following, in brief, is his method : 



If it be desired to train fruit-trees so as to fill a circular space, they 

 are best trained with their branches reversed ; they thus bear a great 

 deal of fruit in a small space, and are protected from high winds 

 without stakes. Obtain plants with one upright stem, of from three 

 to four feet in height, and at this height let them throw out from 

 four to six branches three or four feet long, like Fig. 13. Bring 

 down the branches at the winter pruning and fix them to a hoop 

 with willow or twine, thus, Fig. 14. The sap will not now flow in 

 sufficient quantity down the branches to form wood branches at their 

 ends, but the buds will readily form for blossom buds and fruit. 



