16 



to enter into minute details, in order to illustrate the 

 principle of this system of pruning, which is to obtain 

 spurs always at a proper distance from each other, so 

 that a suitable portion of sun and air may be admitted 

 to them, and so that the spurs may always be kept 

 supplied with young healthy wood and fruitful buds. 

 (Card. Mag iii. 2.) 



To those who desire to make the apple a pet, and 

 have plenty of spare time to attend to the minutiae as 

 here detailed, the foregoing will be of immense assist- 

 ance. Such a long detail, however, is rather too 

 complicated for the many ; and we will shortly add a 

 few plain words of advice as to the fundamental prin- 

 ciples of wall-training ; principles which, however the 

 thing may be carried out, must be steadily kept in 

 view. In the first place, then, we would direct atten- 

 tion to the construction of the border, on which so 

 much depends. When the expense of building walls 

 is considered, we think that it is a mistaken economy 

 not to take proper means to ensure success to the 

 trees planted against them. A good sound and 

 slightly adhesive soil must be obtained, but of this 

 we spoke fully under the section Orchard Culture. 

 In the next place, the border must be thoroughly 

 drained. Mr. Harrison's directions on these heads 

 are very complete indeed ; the only points in which 

 we differ are in the depth of the border, and the in- 

 troduction of a drain parallel with, and close to, the 



