48 On Horizontal Espalier Training. 



in the course of their summer's growth, they can easily be 

 kept of nearly equal vigour, by tacking or tying them to the 

 wall, or stakes, and as one becomes more vigorous than ano- 

 ther, bringing that down towards the horizontal line, and as 

 another is proportionably weaker, raising it towards the per- 

 pendicular line. At the end of the season they will all, if so 

 managed, be of nearly equal strength ; when four can be 

 brought down to the equidistance of ten, or twelve inches 

 and the leader cut again either to produce three or five shoots 

 in the next, according to its vigour. 



Trees against walls may be trained horizontally to the 

 height of ten, twenty, or even thirty feet, if the soil be good, 

 provided they are on a free-growing stock : but for espaliers 

 the height of five feet, as before observed, is preferable. The 

 space of twenty feet allowed for the extension of the hori- 

 zontals will be completely occupied by the trees in the space 

 of eight or nine years ; if they prosper some will have reached 

 their extent by seven years ; but where any of them are of 

 sufficient vigour to allow of five shoots being encouraged in 

 one season, the space assigned will be occupied in five or six 

 years in most instances, though longer in some cases. Much 

 however, depends on the soil as well as the nature of the 

 stock. 



I am, Sir, 

 Your very obedient humble servant, 



John Mearns. 



Shobden Court, 

 January 1, 1821. 



