500 General Principles applicable 



for being grown as standards ; and others, as the vine, which are 

 unsuitable. In standard trees, the top will generally be ad- 

 justed to the root naturally; and hence, in such trees, very little 

 pruning will become requisite beyond that of thinning out cross- 

 ing or crowded branches : but, in wall and espalier trees, as the 

 top is disproportionately small to the roots, pruning, or dis- 

 budding, &c, as a substitute, becomes necessary during the 

 whole period of their existence. The nearest approach which 

 a wall tree can be made to have to a standard is, when, in the 

 case of north and south walls, one half of the branches are 

 trained on the east side of the wall, and the other half on the 

 west side ; or when one tree is made to cover both sides of a 

 double espalier. Pruning may be rendered almost unnecessary 

 by disbudding, disleafing, and stopping; but this will not always 

 be the best course to pursue. When the root of a wall tree is 

 to be strengthened, more shoots should be left than are required 

 for being laid in at the winter pruning; and when the root is to 

 be weakened, all or a part of the shoots produced may be left, 

 but they must be disleafed or stopped as fast as they advance in 

 growth, or the stem may be ringed, or the young shoots twisted 

 or broken down, or the roots pruned. 



Keeping roots near the surface, and encouraging the pro- 

 duction of surface roots, will have a tendency to moderate the 

 production of wood ; and deep planting and stirring the surface 

 to a foot or more in depth will throw the roots down to a moister 

 stratum, and encourage the production of wood, but of an in- 

 ferior quality for the future production of fruit. Dry sandy 

 soil, not rich, will produce moderate growth and precocity, both 

 in the fruit and the ripening of the wood, and rich deep soil the 

 contrary ; hence dry soil, comparatively poor, ought to be pre- 

 ferred for cold late situations, in which it is always desirable to 

 ripen early both the fruit and the wood. By depriving a tree 

 or a plant of its first crop of buds, a second crop will be pro- 

 duced the same season, but some weeks later; and, on this prin- 

 ciple, late crops of leaves may be produced on all plants, and 

 of fruits on all such trees and plants as have the power of 

 forming blossom-buds, and expanding them in the course of one 

 season ; as, for example, the raspberry, strawberry, grape, and 

 all annual and biennial fruit-bearing plants whatever. As all 

 plants require a certain period of rest, by bringing on this 

 period sooner in autumn, by disleafing, and depriving the roots 

 of moisture by thatching the ground over them, they will be 

 predisposed to vegetate sooner in spring. Hence the advan- 

 tage of pruning all trees, the young wood of which is not liable 

 to be injured by frost, immediately after the fall of the leaf. All 

 wood that is not thoroughly ripened should be protected during 

 winter by branches, fern, hay netting, or some other means; 



