PRUNING. 79 



ting off large branches and grafting them at once, 

 it is better to prune the top in part, as shown by 

 Fig. 10, page 76, which will cause an emission of 

 vigorous shoots. These are then budded or graft- 

 ed with ease and success. And, as the grafts grad- 

 ually extend by growth, the remainder of the top 

 may, by successive excisions, be entirely removed. 

 Where trees are not too old, and the ground is 

 kept cultivated, good sized trees are thus obtained 

 much sooner than by setting out young ones. But 

 those which are old, crooked, stunted or diseased, 

 should be rejected at once.* 



* It may perhaps be expected that something should be 

 said on wall -train ing-, and on espaliers. The former, though 

 highly essential in the cool, eqjiable climate of England, 

 where so much is gained by a warm reflecting wall, and so 

 little feared from intense winters, has been little tested in 

 this country, though doubtless it would prove of great ser- 

 vice in the early ripening of many of our hardy fruits. The 

 latter, which consists merely in the horizontal training of the 

 branches in two opposite directions from the tree, is used in 

 gardens, where little room can be afforded for spreading 

 tops. 



