By Mr. John Robertson. 381 



spurs in the centre gradually declined, and good bunches 

 were produced only at the extremities of the cordon ; but 

 when reduced to four feet, the spurs on the whole length 

 were perfect, their eyes well filled, and the bunches of fruit 

 fine and well swelled. 



Training in cordons after this manner affords these ad- 

 ditional advantages; every portion of the wall is equally 

 furnished with bearing wood, and when once the cordons 

 are completed, the pruning and training becomes so uni- 

 form and simple, that it may be entrusted to any intelligent 

 workman. But what renders this practice of still greater 

 value in this country is, that the fruit on these small spurs 

 always ripens earlier than on the stronger wood. 



When Vines are trained with more than one cordon, it 

 is evident from what has already been said, that the lower 

 tiers will eventually become enfeebled by the more powerful 

 vegetation and shade of those above them; but when the 

 Vine is limited to one cordon, it maintains that one in vigour 

 under any such circumstances of privation. 



Might not training on these principles, if accommodated 

 to their peculiar natures, be applied with advantage to our 

 Pear trees on walls, and Apple trees on espaliers ; it would 

 probably counteract their tendency to run naked at the lower 

 parts and centre, and bear only at the extremities. 



When pruning their Vines, the Vignerons avoid cutting 

 close to the eyes, lest they might be injured by the wood 

 dying down to them ; the wood of the Vine, from its spongy 

 nature, and the peculiarity of its alburnum, not healing rea- 

 dily, and being liable to decay at a wound. To guard against 

 this, they always cut midway between the eyes, sloping the 



