68 THE MODERN PEACH PRUNER. 



and in each of these forms they are marked 1, in 

 our engravings. 



The espalier carre, and Montreuil fan, are neither 

 of them difficult to acquire. Their harmonious 

 proportions are far more pleasing, even when with- 

 out foliage, than the ordinary irregular fan shapes. 

 It is surprising that these irregular shapes should 

 still be recommended in works on this subject. 

 The reason given is that the vicissitudes of the 

 English climate require irregular forms, as being 

 those most easily remedied when injured. But it 

 would seldom happen that either of the leading 

 branches in the espalier carre could be irretrievably 

 injured, while in the case of the Montreuil fan, it 

 would suffice to lower the branch immediately 

 above the injured portion into the blank space, 

 allowing a new shoot to grow from its upper side 

 to fill up its old place. For these and other rea- 

 sons these two forms are here selected as models 

 for long pruning. Other forms will occur when 

 close pruning is treated of. Those with a main 

 central stem from which lateral branches are de- 

 veloped yearly, are of obvious formation. In them 

 the lowest branches should be carefully established 

 from the first, as these generally languish in the 

 course of time. 



