ORCHARD-HOUSE PRUNING AND TRAINING. 155 



of work. It bears three fruit sprays a, and four 

 cluster spurs b. Also at its base we find a shoot 

 having groups of triple buds (class 2), and cut back 

 above the lowest of these groups. This shoot is cut 

 back for the same purpose as that marked d 5 and 

 is itself marked e. It is, therefore, quite evident 

 that the whole of the two aged spurs might be cut 

 off after bearing, leaving some four or five new 

 shoots springing from d and e. These spurs and 

 their beautiful fruit-bearing shoots thus seen, are 

 really a triumph of close pruning. No one can 

 reasonably doubt that there is a promise of abundant 

 fruit here, lying close to the wall, and produced 

 by a type allowed to be that which bears the very 

 largest Peaches. It would not be at all necessary 

 to remove these fine old spurs, as the shoots on 

 them will not become very long for some time, so 

 that the " modern close pruner" is never embar- 

 rassed by any want of material to select from. 

 His great aim must be to endeavour to prune the 

 shoots on the "alternate system/' seen in figs'. 18 

 and 19, which, duly attended to, will, after many 

 seasons, produce specimens resembling^. 22. 



It remains only to add that fig. 23 represents the 

 plan of formation of the wall of diagonal cordons. 

 As my good friend Mr. Rivers has lately erected 

 a house which he justly estimates as likely, from 

 its immense proposed length and novelty of de- 



