FRUIT TREES. Chap. IV. 91 



& all the necessary care upon which a fine arrangement of the tree's branches depends, & 

 consequently its uniform shape. 



After training, the espalier planting beds are tilled, if they aren't occupied by 

 winter lettuce or by other vegetables that are all too commonly planted in them & that 

 require postponing the tilling. There's no further tilling until autumn, but they can be 

 hoed frequently to get rid of bad weeds, to allow light rains to penetrate the soil easily & 

 to keep it from cracking. 



SHELTERS. The vagaries of inclement weather during the season in which trees 

 bloom sometimes destroy in an instant all of the grower's expectations. Among the 

 various ways used to protect against these wretched misfortunes, there are those such as 

 cloth curtains that are closed during the night & opened up during the day, unless snow, 

 hail, or cold rain, &c. is falling. These are costly & need lots of time, frequent care, & a 

 good deal of attention beyond just opening & closing them. When the wind shakes them, 

 they can bring down a lot of flowers & fruit that have set. They're only suitable for 

 gardens whose owners can afford the cost. Other means, such as ordinary straw mats 

 placed directly against the trees, or large mats as high as the whole wall, mounted on 

 laths & placed very close to the trees, are even more detrimental to espalier trees. The 

 former because they dislodge a lot of flowers, fruit, and young shoots each time they're 

 put up & taken down. And both kinds because if they're not removed each time that the 

 weather permits, & if they're left in place too long, the fruit on the trees, softened & 

 etiolated beneath these covers, 



