FRUIT-GARDENING. 17 



have been affected by the weather can be removed to the 

 extent to which the damage has been sustained. As the 

 pruning of such unripe wood in the autumn would be inju- 

 rious, so it frequently is when it is done during winter ; and 

 the more so according to its severity ; because, whenever a 

 cut is made on such green wood, the frost generally affects it, 

 as the sap is not so dense, nor the wood so firm, as to be able 

 to resist the intense cold. 



DIFFERENT MODES OF TRAINING. 



Whatever method is adopted in training trees, care should 

 be taken to keep the two sides as nearly equal as possible ; 

 this may easily be done, whether they are trained in the fan 

 or horizontal method. For espalier trees, the horizontal 

 method has many advantages over any other. The small 

 compass within which the trees are obliged to be kept, 

 requires such a direction for the branches, in order to make 

 them fruitful ; and were very high trellises formed, so as to 

 admit of the trees being trained in the fan method, such 

 would be very objectionable, by reason of the shade they 

 would cause, and the trees would also be deprived of the 

 benefit of a warmer temperature, which those less elevated 

 receive. 



As some young gardeners may not know what is meant by 

 espaliers, it may be necessary to explain that espaliers are 

 hedges of fruit-trees which are trained up regularly to a 

 frame or trellis of wood-work ; they produce large fruit plen- 

 tifully, without taking up much room, and may be planted 

 in the Kitchen-Garden without much inconvenience to its 

 other products. For espalier fruit-trees in the open ground, a 

 trellis is absolutely necessary, and may either be formed of 

 common stakes or poles, or of regular joinery work, according 

 to taste or fancy. 



Standard trees should be pruned low. An excellent mode 

 of pruning is to imitate the cherry-tree, which sends a stem 



