By Alexander Seton, Esq. 



11 



sufficient number of spurs, or short branches, was left 

 annually, on the old wood, to produce fruit. When the 

 leading shoots, which had been thus trained in a retrograde 

 direction, approached towards the end, whence the original 

 branches proceeded, preparation was made for a succession 

 of young wood, by bringing forward two fresh shoots from 

 the stem of the tree, and leading them along, close to the 

 preceding ones. As these, and the leading shoots of the 

 first branches, which were then on their return, advanced, 

 the spurs on that part of the old wood, to which they had 

 reached, were cut out, to make room for them, the naked 

 stem only being left. When the second series of branches 

 had returned nearly to the end, at which the trunk was situa- 

 ted, the first series, on which there was then but little of the 

 herbage remaining, was cut out at the trunk. Fresh shoots 

 were then brought forward to succeed the second series : 

 and so on, without end. It would be superfluous to dwell on 

 the mode of managing the other trees ; as it will be perceived 

 that, following the same principle, they must be laid along 

 the higher rods in succession, two rods being allowed to each 

 tree ; and when the stem is not at the end of the house, two 

 branches are to be trained eastward, and two westward, along 

 the rod. Thus, in a house of 25 feet in length, instead of 

 having only 15 or 16 feet, to admit of the length of a branch, 

 as would be the case under the usual mode of training, across 

 the house, we have a range of 50 feet, which affords ample 

 scope for the long shoots at the extremities ; and these, I 

 find, when laid on in the horizontal position, and left from 

 3 to 5 feet long, according to their strength, usually bear 

 fruit at all their buds, while the spurs on the old wood are 



