KECOVERY OF TEAR TREES. 73 



of juicy well grown pears. For, on the first year's 

 growth after the operation, if, instead of clearing 

 away all the breastwood from the whole length of 

 the old remaining branches, you select and lay to 

 the wall as many scions as are needful for an in- 

 terim supply say one to every foot, and placed as 

 in fan-training they also will commence bearing, 

 and serve for a time, whilst the shoots first men- 

 tioned, and which are designed to be permanent, 

 are proceeding to fulfil their destination ; and 

 whilst they so proceed, those adopted for an in- 

 terim supply are gradually to give way. In like 

 manner, those running along the front of the old 

 branches must have a path cleared for them by 

 knocking off more of the knotty spurs as the young 

 wood advances; and in this way you lose no chance 

 of fruit on the old wood, except where you have 

 gained a far better by substituting the new. Thus 

 whilst the fruit-bearing is maintained at the farthest 

 extremity of the branches, as before the operation, 

 you have fruit of the like quality all over the sur- 

 face: and at the same time your plan is still ad- 

 vancing towards the entire renovation of your tree. 

 For supposing that, in the course of five or six 

 years, the shoots which you have trained on the 

 face of the old branches have gained a sufficient 

 length, you have only to lift them carefully from 

 their site, till the old branches are removed, and 

 then promote them to their proper station upon 

 the wall. Those which occupied the intervening 

 spaces will be equally advanced, and of course the 



