CLOSE PRUNING FOR THE OPEN AIR. 107 



class of shoot is unripe, that is no reason why the 

 shorter and closer-lying class should not be in a 

 riper state. Indeed, close pruners of long practice 

 will not hesitate to consider these short spurs as of 

 first importance in the open air. 



In the orchard-house, trees, several seasons old 

 and in good bearing, soon become covered with 

 these short fruit-bearers (classed 5 and 7), no 

 matter what form the tree is trained under. It 

 seems evident that if we can succeed in replacing 

 the old long shoot by a group of several short ones, 

 each fully as capable (to say the least) of produc- 

 tion, that we have materially augmented our 

 chances of a good crop. The objection usually 

 made, that on these short spurs no well-developed 

 leaves can be secured, is not sustained by practice. 

 The production of healthy leaves depends far more 

 on the state of the roots, and if these leaves are 

 kept in a clean and healthy condition, there need 

 be no fear of their not elaborating the sap. That 

 the principle of close summer-pruning is sound is 

 evident from the abundant crops produced, not 

 only of Peaches, but also of every other fruit, 

 even including standard Grapes ; Vines trained in 

 this way may be seen in the public gardens at 

 Chartres. For Pears* especially in the open air, 



* The interval between the branches, for Pears, is 8 inches. (M» 

 Grin, in the Revue Horticole. Eeb. 1866.) 



