LYONS. 603 



obscures the light to a considerable extent from the points 

 of the branches at the top, and this prevents the sap from 

 running to the top as it generally does. However, a 

 good trainer can always take care of that, and I merely 

 mention these things to show that, even in a climate 

 much better than that of Paris, protection to the wall is 

 considered a necessity. The trees away from walls are often 

 attacked by gum and the maladies caused by the cold of 

 spring,''^ to use M. jMorel^s words. Does not this suggest 

 the true cause of the miserable aspect of many Peach trees 

 where careful protection in spring is not resorted to ? In 

 numerous large British gardens, with plenty of means 

 and time for less important objects than fruit culture, 

 the walls are often left exposed or with the most meagre 

 protection — a net, with a clear space at top, so that there is 

 nothing whatever to prevent radiation or the cold sleety 

 rains of spring from descending straight on the young leaves 

 and flowers ; while in many continental gardens, with but 

 a solitary man to attend to them, careful protection is regu- 

 larly given. 



Parallel with the Peach wall runs a trellis for training 

 espalier trees, and this is also protected in spring, and in a 

 very simple way. A cross bar is supported by the upright 

 of the trellis, and lines of wire are run through it. Two 

 double lines of wire are employed, so that the neat straw 

 mats used for protection may be inserted between them, and 

 be thus kept quite firm. The portions of the walls here 

 occupied by the old and established trees were perfectly 

 covered with the healthiest and the finest subjects I have 

 ever seen ; even the bases of the stems and the branches had 

 shoots trained over them, so that their surface was not 

 awkwardly visible, as is too often the case. The forms most 

 employed are the Palmette Verrier and the Candelabrum, 

 which is simply made by training branches vertically from a 

 horizontal shoot running near the ground. The pruning is 

 done in winter, when time and weather permit, and not in 

 spring, as is generally the case. There can be little gained 

 by waiting till streams of sap are ascending through the 

 branches, and a very little discernment suflices to distinguish 



1 . 



