248 PRUNING. 



stitutional arrangement may, perhaps, account for the 

 dissimilarity between the pear tree and the vine. The 

 flowers of the former are terminal ; those of the latter, 

 lateral. The first have the common pedicle seated on 

 the pith, the last on a lateral prolongation of the 

 wood, which, if unfertile, resolves itself, as before 

 observed, into a tendril, 



In this hand-smooth style of pruning the vine 

 many more shoots are produced than it would be 

 prudent to leave ; a few only at each joint are chosen, 

 and the supernumeraries displaced. It is always in 

 the power of the pruner either to have a few and 

 large fruit, or a greater number of smaller; this is 

 determined by his own special purposes, or by the 

 vigour and capability of the tree *. 



Of all fruit trees, whether in houses or elsewhere, 

 the vine is the most tractable and easy of manage- 

 ment. Erect in different gradations ; with an upright 

 stem and horizontal branches, or with an erect stem 

 and the branches trained from two top horizontals 

 downwards ; an excellent method for furnishing the 

 naked parts of the garden walls between the dwarf 

 trained trees. In fact vines may be led in any way, 

 and so as their shoots have sufficient air and light, 

 with the necessary summer care, always succeed in a 

 suitable temperature. 



Left to itself the vine is a most disorderly grower ; 

 the shoots are furnished with both tendrils and lateral 



* It is right to observe, however, that this method of treating 

 the vine is rarely practised. 



