FAN-TRAINING. 39 



never to overrate the vigour of the tree. All of these shoots 

 except the leading ones, must at the proper season be shortened, 

 but to what length must be left entirely to the judgment of the 

 gardener, it of course depending upon the vigour of tho tree. 

 In shortening the shoot, care should be taken to cut back to a 

 wood bud that will produce a shoot for the following year. Cut 

 close to the bud, so that the wound may heal the following sea- 

 son. The following year each shoot at the extremities of the 

 leading branches should produce, besides the leading shoot, one 

 on the upper and two on the under part, more or less, according 

 to the vigour of the tree ; whilst each of the secondary branches 

 should produce besides the leading shoot, one other placed near 

 to the bottom ; for the grand art of pruning, in all systems to 

 which this class of trees is subjected, consists in preserving a 

 sufficient quantity of young wood at the bottom of the tree ; and 

 on no account must the gardener cut away clean any shoots so 

 placed, without well considering if they will be w^anted, not only 

 for the present but for the future good appearance of the tree. 

 The quantity of young wood annually laid in must depend upon 



Fig. 21. Fan-training complete. 



the vigour of the tree. It would be ridiculous to lay the same 

 quantity into a weakly tree as into a tree in full vigour. The 

 gardener here must use his own judgment. But if any of the 

 leading shoots manifest a disposition to outstrip the others, a 

 portion of young shoots must be laid in, and a greater quantity 

 of fruit suffered to ripen on the over-vigorous branch. At the 

 same time a smaller quantity of fruit than usual must be left 

 to ripen on the weaker branch. This will tend to restore the 

 equilibrium better than any other method. Fig. 21, presents us 

 with the figure of a tree in a more advanced state well balanced, 

 and well calculated for an equal distribution of the sap all over 

 its surface. [AVe have varied this figure by representing it train- 

 ed on a trellis, instead of a wall.] Whenever any of the lower 

 shoots have advanced so far as to incommode the others, they 



