254 TRAINING. 



ripen in the open air, and the crop on the Midsummer 

 shoots not till the autumn of the following year. 

 The British gardener, therefore, must preserve the 

 Midsummer shoots, and to assist their formation may 

 stop the spring shoots in June in order to procure a 

 full supply of young wood after that time. This tree, 

 when skilfully managed, well repays the labour 

 bestowed on it. It may be kept and forced in pots, 

 and trained in any direction. It bears ringing and 

 every kind of manipulation with impunity. 



As severe pruning has been shown to predispose a 

 fruit tree to produce barren growth rather than 

 fruitfulness, it is necessary to be cautious in the use 

 of the knife, when the object is the production of 

 fruit. The grand desideratum is, after a tree has 

 arrived at a fruit-bearing size, so to manage it as to 

 induce moderate growth. As this cannot be accom- 

 plished by pruning, cultivators have had recourse to 

 other expedients, viz. different modes of 



Training. It has already been observed, that the 

 growth of trees is always most rapid in right lines, 

 whether these be perpendicular, oblique, or horizon- 

 tal from the root. The fluids progress with increased 

 celerity in direct channels ; consequently when the 

 stem or branches are bent into tortuous or circuitous 

 positions, a steadier flow is generated, and subdued 

 action takes place promotive of fruitfulness. Besides 

 the different methods of training already alluded to, 

 gardeners have invented several very curious and 

 successful modes, which are worthy of imitation. 



