On Pruning and Training the Plum Tree. 427 



successively parts of the old branches, and destroying in 

 summer every shoot which did not grow, or apparently could 

 not be brought in winter, into contact with the wall, I have 

 now in every season as abundant blossom as I had upon 

 the projecting spurs, and much more fruit than my trees 

 can properly support : and during the progress of the ex- 

 periment, I had not a single failure of fruit. Almost the 

 whole of it now grows in actual contact with the wall, and 

 the effect of this has occasioned very considerable changes 

 in the form, size, and quality of it. Coe's Golden^Drop and 

 the Imperatrice Plum are, in every respect, greatly improved. 

 The Green Gage has been much enlarged, and rendered 

 much more juicy : and, in its highest state of maturity, it is, 

 I think, a better fruit than I ever previously possessed it in 

 my garden ; it also differs more widely than usual from the 

 character it assumes when produced by a standard tree in a 

 more favourable climate : such standard trees are generally 

 thought to afford this fruit in its highest state of perfection in 

 richness and flavour. Many gardeners in this vicinity have 

 lately adopted the same mode of management, and, in all 

 cases, with the same results. 



VOL. IV. 



