24 



FRUIT TREES. 



for in removing every year the superabundant buds 

 and branches, we contribute to the formation of new 

 fruit-buds for the next year ; preventing the sap from 

 being wasted upon the parts cut away. 



4. Training conduces to the production of larger 

 fruit and of finer quality. In fact, the greater part of 

 the liquid nourishment which would have fed the 

 suppressed parts is turned to the advantage of the 

 fruits that are retained. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING. 



The wood of trees ought to be perfectly sjTnmetrical. 

 This regularity has not only for its purpose to render 

 the trees pleasant objects to look at, but, most of all, 

 to make them occupy with regularity, and without loss 

 of space, the walls or borders where they are planted. 

 It also promotes equality of vegetation throughout the 

 tree, by preventing the sap from being drawn more to 

 one side than another. 



The permanency of form of trained trees is dependent 

 upon the equal diffusion of sap being maintained through- 

 out the ichole extent of their branches. 



In fruit trees left to themselves, and entirely un- 

 trained, the sap distributes itself equally, because the 

 trees take the forms most in harmony with the natural 

 tendency of the sap. In trees, however, that are sub- 

 mitted to training, the forms imposed upon them neces- 

 sitate the development of branches at the base of the 

 stem more or less large and numerous. The sap 



