42 



TRAINING. 



ness of the tree being so great that it was 

 not able to support a crop every season; but 

 by having one year, or sometimes two years 

 rest, it regained its strength so as to be pro- 

 ductive in the order described. This unpro- 

 ductive state would be continued until the 

 border was renewed, or food otherwise sup- 

 plied. The bad effects stated were entirely 

 the result of a wrong system in training the 

 tree, and thus the most productive age of the 

 tree, and also the fertility of the border, had 

 in a great measure been lost. For if they 

 had been trained in the horizontal manner 

 from the first forming of the tree, they would 

 soon have become productive, and when this 

 object is once attained, it is very easy to 

 keep it. 



As the horizontal mode of training is that 

 which I prefer wherein to train such kinds 

 of trees treated of, for the reasons assigned; 

 I shall give particular instructions for the 

 proper management, under the treatment of 

 each separate kind of fruit. When trees of 

 those kinds are not very vigorous, the fan 

 method of training may, if desired, be adopt- 

 ed successfully. On the other hand when a 

 tree that has been trained in the horizontal 

 plan becomes weakly, I find it of great ad- 

 vantage to let the branches have a little ele- 

 vation towards the end, for a year or two. 



When this practice is adopted, it generally 

 is attended with success in giving strength 



