66 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Espaliers (fig. 865). — This mode of training 

 is well adapted for the Apple either in large or 

 small gardens. The trees are easily managed; 



and the fruit can be well exposed to both sun 

 and air, whilst it is more secure from being blown 

 down by wind than when it is grown either on 

 standards or dwarfs. These advantages ought 



annual disappointment is the result. It may 

 be well, therefore, to point out the cause of this. 

 We will suppose that the horizontal branches 

 have been trained at proper 

 distances, and that the in- 

 tended number of them has 

 been obtained. A number 

 of shoots will grow in an 

 upright direction from the 

 upper sides of each horizon- 

 tal, but more especially from 

 the topmost ones. Each 

 of the shoots on these will, 

 from their position, com- 

 mand more sap than the 

 shoots which constitute the 

 leaders of the horizontals. 

 Let us take one of them: if 

 we allow it to grow during 

 the season, and then cut it 

 off, it is so much of the 

 vigour of the tree wasted; 

 if it is cut to within a few inches of its base 

 at the autumn or winter pruning, two or more 

 equally strong shoots will start in the ensuing 

 season; and if each of these is treated at 



Fig. 865.— Espalier Apple-tree at Madresfield Court. 



to more than counterbalance the only draw- 

 back, namely, the expense of the espalier rail. 

 Many espalier trees may be seen that produce 

 scarcely anything but wood; and, of course, 



the next pruning like the original, a mass of 

 shoots will result, so that that which was in 

 the beginning but a single bud, will soon 

 become a sort of burr, yielding crops of shoots 



