JUNE] 



THE ORCHARD. 



431 



Fig. 46. 



regards the lower branches, is an advantage, for the sap flows more 

 freely into limbs thus diverging, than it does when constrained to 

 proceed from the stem directly at right angles. The lower branches 

 being apt to become the weakest, may be afforded this advantage, 

 whilst towards the top of the wall the branches may be made to pro- 

 ceed horizontally immediately from the stem. 



The tree haying now a central upright shoot, and two horizontal 

 side shoots, shorten the latter at the winter pruning according to their 

 strength ; if weak, nearly to their bases ; the upright one to the fourth 

 course of bricks above that to which the first shoot was cut. Train 

 the shoot from the uppermost bud in a perpendicular direction, and 

 one on each side as before. Proceed thus to obtain an upright and 

 two horizontal branches 

 every year till the tree 

 reach the top of the 

 wall. When the hori- 

 zontal branches are 

 sufficiently strong, they 

 may be trained along 

 the courses of bricks 

 without shortening. 



If properly managed 

 in summer, fruit-spurs 

 will begin to form along 

 these branches. The 

 accompanying cut (Fig. 

 46) represents a spur 

 in which a is progress- 

 ing to form a blossom- 

 bud, whilst b b are 

 already blossom-buds, 

 known by their plump- 

 ness; and from this 

 period of the season 

 such buds exhibit signs 

 of active vegetation, but 

 in a the surrounding 

 scales remain undis- 

 turbed till late in spring. 

 The scar at c is where 

 a portion of spur that 

 has borne fruit has been 

 cut back, and at the 

 winter pruning, after b 

 b have produced fruit, 

 they must likewise be cut back to others likely to form at their bases, 

 as they did at the base of c. 



The pruning of the pear-tree trained against an espalier differs in 

 nothing from that which it requires when trained against a wall, 

 except that the spurs of espalier trees need not be so much short- 

 ened. 



Spur of the pear -tree. 



