444 THE PEACH GARDENS OF MONTREUIL. 



before the short bole or base of the tree, the main branches 

 on the upper parts being carefully shaded by training over 

 them the young branches of the current yearns wood. 



The black marks seen on the white walls are lines 

 which the main branches of the trees are to follow. In 



some cases they are quite 

 Fig. 257. simple vertical or horizon- 



tal lines, according as the 

 form to be attained may 

 require; in other places 

 they form crowns, eagles, 

 initial letters, flourishes, 

 &c. j for though the culti- 

 vator generally prefers sim- 

 ple and definite forms, he 

 is also proud of his skill in 

 overcoming difficulties of 

 training, and shows it by 

 these curiously and very 

 successfully trained trees 

 against his walls. M. 

 Chevallier is, however, a 

 younger cultivator than M. 

 Lepere, and has not his 

 curiosities in this way per- 

 fect as yet, but there is 

 every sign that his fancy 

 trees will be even more 

 elaborate and remarkable 

 than those of M. Lepere. 

 It is only just to state that 

 these elaborately - trained 

 trees bear freely and well ; 

 but except for curiosity^s sake or for show, they should 

 not be attempted. 



Branches of trees like that in Fig. 253, fifteen feet long, 

 were three inches higher at the apex than at the base, a difie- 

 rence which scarcely removed them from the horizontal posi- 

 tion, and yet sufficed to give an easy ascent to the sap, and 



Second Pruning of Fruiting Peach Branch. 

 F is cut at J) above two wood-buds to 

 furnish shoots for the following year ; 

 B remains to carry the fruit, and the 

 shoot is cut at A. Cut E would only 

 be applied if shoot B did not bear 

 flower-buds. 



