28 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



planted, pruned, and otherwise properly managed on the 

 lines laid down in this chapter, they will not fail to yield 

 good crops. Unfruitful, neglected, and sickly trees should 

 not be tolerated, but consigned to the fire. No art or skill 

 can ever render such trees fruitful or healthy in growth. 



Trees on Walls and Fences. In small gardens the mis- 

 take is too frequently made of planting unsuitably-trained 

 trees against the usually low boundary walls and fences. 

 As a rule, these do not exceed 6ft. in height, and to plant 

 espalier or fan-trained trees against them is sheer folly. 

 In three or four years the trees reach the top, and then 

 severe pruning is resorted to to keep growth within bounds. 

 The result is a thicket of useless growth at the top, and 

 no fruit. Espaliers and fan-trained trees are only suitable 

 for lofty walls, 8 to i2ft. or more in height. For walls 

 and fences only 6ft. high cordon trees are a more suitable 

 type of tree to grow. These can be kept within due 

 bounds without any sacrifice of fruitfulness. 



Thinning the Fruit. It is especially necessary in the 

 case of apples grown on cordon trees not to allow too 

 many fruits to develop. Overcropping seriously cripples 

 future growth ; and, besides, the individual fruits do not 

 attain their full size, nor develop their proper flavour. As 

 a general rule, one to two fruits to a spur are ample. 

 Therefore thin out the fruits as soon as it can be seen 

 which are the most promising ones to retain. If this 

 course be pursued, trees will bear every year ; whereas, if 

 the fruit is not thinned, they will fail to yield the next 

 season. (See Figs. 12 and 13.) 



Gathering and Storing the Fruit. A good deal of judg- 

 ment is required in gathering fruit, more especially varie- 

 ties that have to be stored. If gathered too soon the fruit 

 will shrivel and lose much of its flavour. Early sorts 

 should not be gathered until they begin to fall from the 

 tree, and later ones not until they part readily from the 



