CHAPTER XVII 

 ODD METHODS OF PRUNING AND TRAINING 



The principles and some of the practices discussed in 

 previous chapters find bizarre application in special 

 modes of training, which in America have practically no 

 commercial use. Hence almost the only attention they 

 attract is that of amateurs, in which class of gardeners is 

 included those wealthy people who take pleasure growing 

 extra choice specimens of fruit, especially if these are 

 produced under glass, upon walls, or by specimen plants 

 trained in some unusual form. 



While these forms are immensely popular in Europe 

 where land is costly and hand labor cheap, they are not 

 suited to other continents where land is cheap and labor 

 high priced-, as in America. This is the sufficient answer 

 for their comparative rarity in the United States and 

 Canada. Let it be said, however, that we have in the 

 longer-settled parts of our country examples of these 

 methods which compare favorably with those of the Old 

 World. Probably a majority of these have been de- 

 veloped under the skillful fingers of some French, English 

 or Scotch gardener who has served his apprenticeship in 

 the gardens of an estate in the Old World. The three 

 illustrations (Figs. 298, 299, 300) are excellent examples 

 of special tree training in gardens in Rochester, N. Y. 

 In the vicinity of Boston, New York and Philadelphia 

 could be found many others. 



In order to make a success of any of these special forms 

 of growing trees and shrubs, it is essential to make a 

 proper start. European nurserymen do this. They grow 

 the trees two, three or more years under the constant 

 watchfulness of men skilled each in his own line. All 

 that a customer need to do, then, is to order the style, 



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