CONCLUSION. 119 



shorten the period in which the wall space could 

 be covered with fruitful wood, completely over- 

 shadowed other considerations, for in horticul- 

 ture, as in other matters, the gain of a year is 

 of inestimable value. 



I only wish, therefore, to say that no appre- 

 hension need be entertained of the shoots on 

 the leaders becoming too long to manage, (an 

 apprehension, by the bye, not without its cause, 

 for Mr. Rivers writes to me on this subject, that 

 he finds these very shoots " always fighting to 

 get away from the tree,") but by merely allow- 

 ing a few leaves to grow beyond the long bear- 

 ing shoot (as in the vine), and by cutting, it 

 back to two buds directly after bearing, the 

 shoots can be kept compact, fruitful, and close 

 to the main stem. 



In all these cases, the reader will readily have 

 discerned that my favourite is the Diagonal 

 Cordon, but with the exception of the growth 

 on the lower sides of this form being weaker 

 than those on the upper, the management of the 

 spurs and shoots is the same in all cases. 



I have had much pleasure in writing this book, 

 but at the close I feel that others will profit by 

 my hints, and that I must exert myself if I wish 

 to keep pace with them in the friendly race. 



THP 

 THE 



