May 30, 1865. ] 



JOTJENAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



417 



irregular fan shapes. It is surprising that these irregular 

 shapes should still be recommended in works on this subject. 

 The reason given is that the vicissitudes of the English 

 climate require irregular forms, as being those most easily 

 remedied when injured. But it would seldom happen that 

 either of the leading branches in the espalier carre could 

 be in-etrievably injured, while in the case of the Montreuil 

 fan, it would suffice to lower the branch immediately above 

 the injured portion into the blank space, allowing a new 

 shoot to grow from its upper side to fill up its old place. 

 For these and other reasons these two forma are here 

 selected as models for long pruning. Other forms will 

 ooenr when close pruning is treated of. Those with a main 

 central stem fi-om which lateral branches are developed 

 yearly, are of obvious formation. In them the lowest 

 branches should be carefully established from the first, as 

 these generally languish in the coiu-se of time. 



THE OLD MOXTKEUII, FA>'. 



In the first year the leading branch (marked 1) of either 

 wing is developed, and carefully balanced by the usual means 

 (described in No. 7, Section 2). Both of these leading 

 branches axe shortened to about 12 inches at the first winter 

 pruning, and during the course of the second season of 

 growth the secondary branch (marked 2) of either wing is 

 developed. At the winter pruning the leaders (1) are 

 shortened in again, but considerably less (unless hare), 

 while the secondaries (2) are encouraged to extend more 

 freely. During the third season of growth another secondary 

 (marked 3), and a tertiary (marked 7) in either wing, are 

 simultaneously produced. The winter shortening of all 

 these branches is now still less. During the fourth year all 

 these existing branches are simply maintained in equili- 



brium, in order to remedy any defects before proceeding 

 further. In the meantime the shoots on all these branches 

 have been carefully stopped, so as to equalise still more the 

 tree, and to make them fruitful. A little fruit has by this 

 time been taken, but not much. Another object is to allow 

 the tree to gather strength, and to habituate the sap to 

 these channels before proceeding to form the upper portions, 

 which, being more vertical, are more liable to become too 

 strong. 



In the ensuing, or fifth season, the two secondaries (4 and 

 5), of either wing are now developed simultaneously. During 

 the sixth yen.r the whole form is maintained in equilibrivun, 

 and the tree has now become productive and vigorous, 

 while the branches require much less shortening. In the 

 seventh season, the tertiary (6), of either wing is developed, 

 which completes this beautiful and simple form. -"( After 

 this nothing is needed but to keep the shoots close and 

 healthy. The weak points are at the angles of insertion of 



( the secondaries, where the shoots are more apt to be crowded 

 than in the espalier carfe ; but this is a defect inevitable in 



I any form partaking of this character, as is seen in the case 

 of Seymour's training and other modes. 



THE ESPALIER CAEEE. 



The leading branches (marked 1), of either wing are first 

 developed, and treated as in the case of the Montreuil fan. 

 The second year the first lower secondary (marked 2), of 

 either wing is produced. In the third year the second lower 

 secondary (o), and in the fourth year the third lower 

 secondary (4), of either wing are established. The fifth 

 season is devoted to equalising the whole form. In the 

 fifth, sixth, and seventh years the three upper secondaries 

 are developed, and the upright tertiary (8), of either wing 



Fio. 10.— The Espalier Carr^. 



being also laid in, the form is complete. The branches are 

 shortened less at every ensuing winter pruning, and the 

 fruit-shoots carefully stopped from the second year. 



The weak points of this fine old form are the rather large 

 interval between the extremities of the secondary branches, 

 amounting to nearly 3 feet. In close pruning, with the 

 shoots more shortened-in, much wall space would be wasted, 

 therefore, the espaliey carre (uidess with a greater number 

 of secondary branches), would not be so suitable. But, 

 on the other hand, the angles made by the insertion of the 

 secondaries on the leading branches are open, and afford 

 much scope for furnishing these difficalt portions of the tree. 

 The largest tree at present in the Lepere gardens extends 

 over 40 feet of wall, and one eight years old and just com- 

 plete, measures 30 feet in width. 'These are trees of free- 

 growing varieties, such as Grosse ilignonne, &c., and 

 superbly cropped. 



Good specimens of waved forms may be seen in England 

 and France. In this case it is proper to divide the tree into 

 two wings, though with a waved central main stem there is 

 little danger of the tree being out of balance. In either of 

 these eases the interval between the branches which are laid 

 in horizontally, should be about 2 feet. In short, excessive 



shortening of the branches should be avoided ; all vertical 

 lines should be left till the last to be established, and for 

 the first years little fruit should be expected. When once 

 the tree is well formed the branches may be left untouched, 

 and the shoots being carefully attended to, the tree will 

 bear and grow. In irregular fans with central stems, the 

 fruit is comparatively valueless in the lower branches, which 

 languish as the sap is attracted to the upper branches, while 

 the whole centre of the tree is apt to become bare and ex- 

 posed for the same reason. — T. Bbehattt, Richmond Bouse, 

 Guernsey. 



"WIEEWOEMS. 

 Mt garden is infested with wireworms, they have de- 

 stroyed one row of Peas, and have attacked Scarlet Eunners, 

 notwithstanding that I put over the seed a plentiful supply 

 of coal ashes. Last year my Scai'let Eunners were nearly 

 destroyed by them, and I barely got my seed back. I have 

 tried various remedies — salt, soot, and lime, but cannot 

 succeed in driving them away. Just to show you what 

 quantities there are, I pulled up a few Turnips that had 

 been dug-in, and had sprouted, and they were eaten into 



