TRAINING. 51 



Training of Espalier Rail-Trees. — The usual form is 

 the horizontal ; that is, from an upright stem, branches 

 are led right and left along the rails. Some prefer 

 having two stems, thus diverting the upright current of 

 the sap into two channels, and producing a somewhat 

 lower growth, which is favorable to fruitfulness. Es- 

 palier rail-trees have a uniform tendency to throw out 

 a luxuriant crop of upright summer shoots ; and this is 

 to be prevented by disbudding, or rubbing off numerous 

 buds, as they appear from April till June. Close well- 

 placed spurs are encouraged, as from these the fruit is 

 expected. 



Training of Wall- Trees. — A fruit-tree planted against 

 a wall is evidently in a constrained and artificial situa- 

 tion, from which it makes continual efforts to escape. 

 Much attention is necessary to repress this tendency, 

 which, were it permitted to act, would disfigure the tree, 

 and neutralize the advantages of a wall, without im- 

 parting in their place the freedom of a standard in the 

 open ground. To be successful, the operator should 

 be acquainted with the theory of vegetation, should 

 study the mode of growth in different trees, and, above 

 all, remember the purpose of all training, viz., the elicit- 

 ing of bearing wood. 



One great difficulty is to preserve equilibrium in the 

 growth of the several parts of the same tree-: for the at- 

 tainment of this object, excellent hints are to be found 

 in the Pomone. Francais : we shall mention only two 

 or three. A shoot w^ill grow more vigorously whilst 

 waving in the air than when nailed close to the wall ; 

 a weak shoot should therefore be left free, whilst a 

 stronger antagonist should be restrained. A shoot di- 

 verging only slightly from the perpendicular will, other 



