APPLES. 121 



of spurs : if so, they must all be cut out close, except 

 one, which must be shortened as before. 



In all the winter prunings, care must be taken to 

 keep the spurs short and close, none of which should 

 at any time exceed three inches ; cutting out clean all 

 the blank spurs, which have produced fruit the previous 

 summer, to the next perfect bud below. 



Should canker be perceived in any of the branches, 

 or older limbs, if of a formidable nature, they should, 

 at this pruning, be cut out to the sound wood, where, in 

 general, nature will have provided some young shoots 

 of more than usual strength, for the purpose of remedy- 

 ing the defect. When canker arises from some acci- 

 dental cause, such as wounds, by early attention it may 

 be overcome ; but when it arises from a constitutional 

 disease, amputation is the only remedy for the affected 

 part. Should it break out on an extended scale, an 

 efficacious remedy will be sought in vain the shortest, 

 and the least expensive, will be to root up the tree. 



These appear to me to be all the instructions necessary 

 to be observed in the management of open dwarfs : 

 they are, at least, such as I have myself pursued for 

 many years ; and I have found ample compensation, 

 not only in abundant crops, but in fine and perfect 

 specimens of fruit. 



Espaliers. 



Espalier trees are of old standing in this coun- 

 try, and are admirably adapted for small gardens, where 

 every yard of room is of consequence ; and in large 

 gardens they are equally valuable with the open dwarf. 



There are two ways of forming espaliers : the most 

 common is that of training the two sides in the manner 

 of horizontal wings : this method always leaves the 

 centre open, from the curvature of the inner branches, 



