On the premature death of the branches of wall fruit-trees, 35 



upon animal life ; and to be nearly as essential to the growth of 

 large trees, as to that of animals. 



Whenever the branches of a tree are bound to a wall, they wholly 

 lose the kind of exercise above described, which nature obviously 

 intended them to receive ; and many ill consequences generally 

 follow ; not however, to the same extent, nor precisely of the same 

 kind, to trees of different species and habits. When a standard Plum 

 or Peach tree is permitted to take its natural form of growth, its 

 sap flows freely, and most abundantly, to the extremities of its 

 branches, and it continues to flow freely through the same branches 

 during the whole life of the tree : but when the branches are bound 

 to a wall, and are no longer agitated by winds, each branch becomes 

 in a few years what Duhamel calls " usee," that is debilitated and 

 sapless, owing apparently to its being no longer properly pervious 

 to the ascending sap. The obstruction to the ascent of this causes 

 luxuriant shoots to spring from the lower parts of the tree ; and 

 these are in succession made to occupy the places of the debilitated 

 older branches by the process which the gardener calls " cutting 



The branches of the Apricot, and particularly of the Moor-park 

 varieties often die suddenly, owing to the same cause, with much 

 more inconvenience and loss very frequently to the Gardener ; for 

 trees of this species do not usually afford him the means of filling 

 up vacancies upon his wall, as those of the Peach and Plum do. 



The Pear tree better retains its health and vigour, when trained 

 to a wall, than those of either of the preceding species, or than 

 the Cherry tree ; bnt the proper course of its sap is nevertheless 

 greatly deranged ; and it is difficult, and in some varieties almost 

 impossible, to cause it to flow properly to the extremities or nearly 

 to the extremities of its branches. Much the larger part of it is 

 generally expended in the production of what are called " foreright" 

 useless shoots ; and the quantity of fruit, which is afforded by the 



