12 



made to the Montreuil method, consists in filling up 

 the two sides and the centre of the tree with branches. 

 In the Montreuil method, there are two main 

 branches allowed to every tree. These are, in 

 general, trained in at an angle of 45 degs., and 

 the side branches proceeding from them are laid 

 in in such a manner as to cover great part of the 

 wall. There is always, however, a space in the 

 centre of the tree and also one on each side of it next 

 the ground, which is left naked. Now, the grand 

 object of Lelieur's method, or that of the modern 

 school, is to fill up these naked spaces with bearing 

 wood. This is to be effected by shortening the tw^o 

 main branches when young, so as to produce four 

 branches ; and the side shoots of these being trained 

 in with care, the wall will generally be found filled 

 up. In doing this, when the lower branches of the 

 tree are found weak, they are not trained in like the 

 others, but allowed to grow right out for two or three 

 months, during which time they acquire a degree of 

 strength as great as that of the branches on the upper 

 part of the tree. The methods of the three schools 

 are evidently different modifications of what in Eng- 

 land is called fan-training ; and there can be no doubt 

 whatever, that the modern method, its object being 

 to cover the wall completely with wood, is by far the 

 best. 



The origin of training the peach and the vine 



