92 FRUIT TREES. 



could not be obtained from the pyramidal trees until 

 about the fourteenth year after planting, while the 

 contra espaliers would begin to bear at the sixth year 

 at latest. 



These contra espaliers give, on the same quantity of 

 ground, twice the extent of wood, and 

 therefore twice the quantity of fruit com- 

 pared with the other forms of training, and 

 attain their maximum product of fruit eight 

 years sooner. 



It may be objected, however, that the 

 new method will be more expensive than the 

 old forms of training. This is true, because, 

 by the old method, only one tree would be 

 required for a border, while twenty must be 

 planted on the new method. But it will be 

 a sufficient answer to this objection that 

 three years' produce would more than repay 

 the extra expense, and there would still 

 remain, to the advantage of the new method, 

 five years of more than double the crop of 

 ordinary trees before the others came into 

 full bearing. Besides, the expense may be 

 diminished about one-half ; instead of pur- 

 Fig a> -Pear cnasm g ready-grafted trees, buy young 

 cordon. stocks that may be had for a mere trifle, 

 and plant them out in the nursery; after they have 

 been grafted a year, plant them in their proper posi- 

 tions upon the border. 



By following this course, the period of maximum 

 fruit-bearing will be retarded two years, but there will 



