408 



SCIENCE OF GARDENING. 



Part II. 



about a century ago, when dwarfs were in the greatest vogue, they were trained into re- 

 gular geometrical shapes, without the least regard to the natural shape or tendency of the 

 branches of the tree. In the works of Quintiney and Arnaud d'Andilly are described 

 concave, conical, fusiform, spiral, and other dwarfs. 



2118. Concave or cup-shaped dwarfs (arbonjin boomen, Dut. ; en gobelet or en tonnoir, 

 Fr.), being trained concave or hollow in the middle, having all the branches ranged cir- 

 cularly around the stem, in an ascending direction, so as to form the heart of the tree 

 hollow or concave. 



2119. Conical or pyramidal dwarfs, tapering like a cone or pyramid from the base to the 

 summit. When pyramidal trees are so pruned that the horizontal branches form stages 

 above one another, they are termed chandelier-like, or en girandole. 



2120. Fusiform (en quenouille, Fr.) or convex dwarfs, being trained, bellied out, or 

 somewhat spindle-shaped in the middle, or like a full distaff. 



2121. Horizontal dwarfs, in which all the branches were trained in a flat position, pa- 

 rallel to the surface of the earth. 



2122. Sjriral dwarfs (Jig. 384.), in which the branches were trained spirally round Makes, 

 which stakes were afterwards removed. 



384 



2123. Fan-dwarfs (palmettes, Fr.) in which the branches were spread out like the 

 hand, or like a spread fan. 



2124. Natural dwarfs or bushes (arbres en buisson, Fr.), in which the branches were 

 permitted to advance in their natural mode of growth, being only thinned, or shortened, 

 or deprived of supernumerary side shoots, as already described. 



2125. Estimate of the forms of dwarfs. Some authors observe that all these forms may be 

 introduced for the sake of variety ; but of all forms which require constraint, as being con- 

 trary to the natural shape of the bush and tendency of the branches, it may with certainty 

 be observed, that they can only be maintained by continual exertion in counteracting 

 nature ; and that the trees so constrained and cut, generally throw out, at particular 

 parts, such a superfluity of useless wood, as greatly to lessen their tendency to produce 

 blossom-buds. Each variety of the apple-tree, observes Knight, " has its own peculiar 

 form of growth, and this it will ultimately 

 assume, in a considerable degree, in defi- 

 ance of the art of the pruner." The same 

 remark, it is obvious, applies to every sort 

 of tree. 



21 26. Pruning half standards is conducted 

 exactly on the same general principles as 

 pruning dwarfs ; the only difference between 

 them being that, in the one case, the bush 

 or head is close to the ground, and in the 

 other, it is elevated from it three or four 

 feet. Of the common hardy fruit-trees, it 

 may be observed, that the apple, plum, 

 quince, medlar, and mulberry form a forked 

 irregular head (Jig. 385. a), and the pear 

 and cherry a more regular cone or distaff, 

 with lateral branches proceeding from an 

 upright stem (6). The French are particularly expert in pruning their pear-trees into 

 this last form, assisted sometimes by a rod to train the central shoot. 



2127. Crown or umbrella headed standards (kroon boomen, Dut. ) are a sort of half-stand- 

 ard, formed by the Dutch, and chiefly on dwarfing stocks. The stems are six or seven feet 



5*<r^ 



