58 



THE GARDENER. 



ting these back is frequently the only alternative in 

 order to obtain other shoots for the purpose of fur- 

 nishing the lower part of the wall. By this misdirec- 

 tion of the energies of the tree, several years' growth 

 is wasted, and when it becomes necessary to cut out 

 such large branches, the tree receives a shock which 

 renders it incapable of bearing such fine fruit as a more 

 skilful management will ensure. It may be briefly 

 affirmed that all methods of training are bad which 

 admit upright shoots to compete with horizontal ones ; 

 for the former will grow with a vigour ten times 

 greater, in many instances, than the latter, owing to 

 the strong vertical tendency of the sap. Although the 

 ascendancy gained by a vertical shoot over a horizon- 

 tal one is considerable in the current season of their 

 production, yet it bears but a trifling ratio to that 

 which would be gained in successive seasons, were the 

 vertical portion allowed to proceed without interference 

 from the pruning-knife. If however a central shoot 

 be annually trained, upright in the first instance till it 

 attain the height of fifteen inches, then kept in check, 

 by pinching oflT the terminal bud, and training all its 

 after-growth during the season declined from the per- 

 pendicular; and if these central shoots be uniformly 

 cut at the winter pruning to within a few buds from 

 their bases, no material injury would then result to the 

 side branches, the vertical tendency against them 

 being thus limited to a single summer shoot. This 

 principle is the basis of the following mode of training. 



In cutting back the central shoot, two buds, well si- 

 tuated for producing side branches, and a third for an 

 upright, must be left. The first production of side 

 branches, which are intended to produce the lower 

 radii of the fan, must be trained at some elevation in 

 the first instance, and afterwards gradually brought to 

 a horizontal position. It is necessary that they should 

 be brought down, in order to furnish the lower part of 



