NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



547 



TRAINING SHRUBS AND TREES. 



DIFFERENT STAGES OF TREE TRAINING. 



TnERE is an increasing taste for the beautiful, 

 as well as the useful, among those who cultivate 

 the soil. Commenced by amateurs, perhaps, it 

 has found its way into the gardens and farms of 

 the country, and is giving them an air of grace 

 which adds greatly to the attractions of home. 

 And to the astonishment of many, they have found 

 that the cultivation of the beautiful in the careful 

 training of trees, has added much to the cash val- 

 ue of the farm, while they annually furnish the 

 most profitable crops. Pears, apricots, nectarines, 

 peaches and the Siberian crab, may all be trained 

 so as to become highly ornamental and profitable. 

 But little space is required, no hard labor, and a 

 quick return may be realized. 



As November is a good season for transplanting 

 and preparing trellis-work or walls to train upon, 

 we improve it to present some specimens of train- 

 ing, with suggestions and explanations from Cole's 

 American Fruit Book. A dwarf tree in the espa 

 lier form drives no bed of vegetables or border of 

 flowers from the small garden spot, but gives it an 

 air of taste and refinement, and oftentimes a re- 

 turn in a single season of several dollars in cash 

 for its products. 



This mode of training is also useful in surround- 

 ing and protecting the garden, or at least in defin- 

 ing its limits. It may be done, too, with the 

 cheapest materials, and with no more skill than 

 all possess who have the slightest taste in horti- 

 cultural matters. 



"Our climate is so warm , that training fruits 

 in a southern aspect to walls, fences, buildings, 

 banks, &c, for the purpose of obtaining greater 

 heat, is necessary with only a few southern or for- 

 eign fruits, in the North. Most varieties culti- 

 vated in the temperate region, come to perfection, 

 even in New England, in the common tree form. 



Yet training is sometimes useful to obtain a due 

 degree of heat ; it is also very ornamental and con- 

 venient in a garden, giving a beautiful and taste- 

 ful appearance, economizing room, and furnishing 

 superior specimens of fruit. There are various 

 modes suited to different purposes, situations and 

 tastes. 



Tree Training differs from common tree form in 

 the production of low and extended branches, 

 caused by cutting back the stem, and checking the 

 upper limbs, until the lower ones become large and 



strong from the full force of light and heat. It 

 admits of modifications, and is adapted to various 

 purposes, and to almost every species of tree or 

 plant. [See first cut.] 



FAN TRAINING. 



After one year's growth of the young tree, scion r 

 or vine, cut off the main stem, (figure a,) leaving, 

 buds on each side. Next season, train a branch 

 each way, and a stem upward, which cut down 

 as before, (figure b.) The third season, train a 

 new branch each way, and the stem upward, and 

 cut back again, (figure c,) and train small limbs on 

 the lower branches, on each side, or on the upper 

 side only. Another season train up a stem and: 

 cut down again, training out another branch ore 

 each side, and limbs on another branch, (figure d T 

 showing one side.) In most other modes, the top 

 and upper branches are kept back, to induce low 

 branches, and give them a strong growth first. 



Fan Training is a convenient form, and is much 

 practised with grapes, peaches, nectarines, apri- 

 cots, plums, figs, &c. 



HORIZONTAL TRAINING. 



Horizontal Training is a very neat and orna- 

 mental mode, giving a good exposition to light 



