PRUNING. 243 



in the fan manner, and rather in close order: the 

 extremities of the leading shoots are always carefully 

 prolonged, till the space allotted for the tree is occu- 

 pied. Along the branches numerous shoots are 

 annually produced : a proper number of these at due 

 and regular distances are laid in close to the wall 

 between the principal branches, and the rest displaced. 

 At the spring pruning the preferred shoots are 

 loosened from the wall, and cut down to an inch or 

 two in length, and tied to the branch if necessary, 

 leaving the spaces between the branches clear for the 

 reception of the summer shoots to be trained in as 

 before. The curtailed shoots bear the fruit in great 

 numbers, and of fine quality. This plan is called the 

 mother-branch style, by French gardeners, and is 

 highly recommended by an able practitioner * in this 

 country. 



The grape vine may be similarly managed ; its 

 fruit may be produced on very long or very short last 

 year's shoots, like spurs ; indeed from neither, but 

 from latent buds seated at the nodes of the old stems ; 

 but, strictly speaking, the fruit of the vine is always 

 borne on the shoots of the present year. 



The long shoot method of training and pruning 

 may be performed in the open air, or in houses ; but 

 it is most commonly practised in pineries, or other 

 houses, where the vines are only trained to each 

 rafter. Each plant has one bearing shoot the whole 



* Mr. John Seymour. 

 R 2 



