414 



SCIENCE OF GARDENING. 



Part II. 



directs the branches to be fixed, the sap is more regularly and unifonnly disposed of, 

 and tliere will be no necessity for cutting branches short to form studs for producing 

 bearers, nor to adopt the method recommended by Forsyth for furnishing bearers, that of 

 repeatedly pinching off the tops, and shortening the leading shoots. The whole of the 

 sap will, by this mode, be expended in profitable and increasing production, and all tlie 

 desirable effects which these authors describe to be attainable, will be produced in less 

 time and with less difficulty. By this mode, also, it is possible to train a tree to its ut- 

 most extent without ever using the knife for any other purpose than for removing worn- 

 out branches, or old bearers, nor need a branch ever be shortened. It will be found like- 

 wise to support Knight's ideas, ' and expose a greater surface of leaf to the light,' in the 

 shortest possible time. It will also ' promote an equal distribution of the circulating 

 fluids ;' and without cutting off the strongest and weakest branches, ' each annual shoot, 

 as produced, will possess nearly an equal degree of vigor.' And, as the horizontals will 

 be formed of the most luxuriant shoots, they will find sufficient space to be trained in, and 

 thus by ' proper treatment,' will, in due season, be found to ' have uniformly produced 

 the finest possible bearing wood for the succeeding year,' and this without pinching off 

 shoots. Thus, also, the same square of walling will be furnished with more bearing 

 wood, in the third and fourth years, than can possibly be done by any other mode, and 

 than can be effected by the common mode of practice, in less than eight or ten years." 



2152. Preparatory training. Nearly the same routine is gone through when the trees 

 are young, for all the different modes of training. The shoots of grafted trees newly 

 received from the nursery (Jig- 392. a) are not shortened by the best modern practi- 

 tioners : at the end of the first season the side branches are left at an elevated angle (6), 

 to encourage them to throw out laterals ; afterwards they are brought down (c, d) to an 

 oblique or nearly horizontal position, and each shoot, placed in its final position, as it 

 increases in size. 



392 



2153. Materials used in training. The operation of training on walls is performed chiefly 

 by means of nails and shreds, on trellises by bass ties, and on espalier rails osier-twigs are 

 most commonly used. The bass, after being applied, is gently twisted round with the 

 finger and thumb, in order that it may run into a firm knot without tearing and weaken- 

 ing the ligament. The osier tie is made fast by twisting the two ends, somewhat in the 

 manner done by reapers in tying up sheaves of corn, and well known in the nurseries. 

 But the nicety of the operation of training consists in the proper use of nails and shreds 

 on a wall ; in which business, as Marshall has observed, " ingenuity will evidence itself 

 in neatness and symmetry." When a shoot requires some constraint to retain it in its 

 position, the pressure must always be against the shred and never against the nail. Of 

 both nails and shreds there should be two sizes used, the larger for strong, and the smaller 

 for weak shoots. Trees trained to boards can hardly have nails too small ; and those 

 trained to stone or old brick walls generally require a larger size. 



2154. Shreds should be adapted to the sti-ength of the branches, and the distance of 

 the buds from each other ; so that with strong shoots, having their buds wide, such broad 

 shreds may be used as would make weak shoots unsightly, and spoil them by covering 

 the buds ; many a well cut tree has been made disgusting, merely by irregular and dang- 

 ling shreds. A uniformity of color can hardly be accomplished, but a regularity of size 

 may ; scarlet, if all alike, looks best, and white the worst. The general width of shreds 

 should be from half an inch to three quarters, and the length two inches tb three, having 

 some wider, longer, and stronger, for large branches. In the disposition of shreds, some 

 must have their ends turned downwards, and some upwards, as best suits, for bringing 

 the shoots to their proper place, and straight direction. Though some pruners observe a 

 sort of alternate order, yet the ends hanging chiefly down will look best. Use no more 

 shreds and nails than necessary to make good work, as the effect is rude and injurious. As 

 nails are apt to break out pieces of the wall in drawing, it is a good way to give the nail a 



