62 THE MANSE GARDEN. 



is more given to bearing than idle growth, it ought to 

 have the fan form, by which, as the radii widen, you 

 have room to lay in the side shoots. And even the 

 breastwood (that which grows right forward) is not 

 to be lost ; for if, instead of cutting it entirely off, 

 you leave nearly a handbreath, the stump or snag will 

 carry a large bunch of rich dark fruit enough to fill 

 both mouth and hands. The black geen may be 

 treated in the same way ; and is well worthy of a place 

 on the wall, though not of the best exposure. 



With regard to apricots, peaches, and plums, the 

 training is the easiest thing in the world ; and if the 

 work be as pleasant to you as I could wish it, you 

 will find an entertainment of some duration, and of 

 frequent repetition in this department of your wall. 

 They are free growers, and afford plenty of wood for 

 laying in. The most important rule concerning this 

 class is to look to the space which you design the tree 

 to occupy, whether thirty or forty feet in the length 

 of your wall ; and to set off the branches fan-like in 

 such a way as to reach the several parts of the ulti- 

 mate boundary in straight lines. By this you will 

 avoid an awkwardness that is often to be met with, 

 in having the branches first more vertical and then 

 more inclined to the horizontal, resembling the figure 

 of a cup or tulip. I do not object to the prettiness 

 of this ; but it is an arrangement that embarrasses the 

 subsequent operations of training. It is important 

 to put the strongest shoots always the lowest that 

 may consist with the above plan, as the main strength 

 of growth takes always the direction of the more ver- 

 tical shoots. The young wood must be laid in from 

 time to time, as early as it will admit of that opera- 



