INTRODUCTION. 



xxvii 



be carried out in spots Mtlierto useless or unemployed, and 

 will enable us to do away with the ugly Apple trees that 

 now shade and occupy the surface of our gardens. The 

 system will be found the greatest improvement our garden 

 Apple culture has ever witnessed. It should be thoroughly 

 understood, however, that I do not recommend this system 

 for orchard culture, or for the production of the kinds and 

 qualities of fruits that may be gathered profusely from 

 naturally developed standard trees. 



Thirdly, by the general introduction of the true French 

 Paradise stock into the gardens of the British Isles. Its 

 merits are that it is dwarfer in growth than any other, and 

 that in wet, cold soils it keeps its roots in a wig-like tuft 

 near the surface — a most valuable quality on many of our 

 cold, heavy soils. When- well known it will be found an 

 inestimable boon in every class of garden except those on 

 very dry and poor soils, being wonderfully efficacious in 

 inducing early fertility, and affording a better result without 

 root pruning than either the Crab or English Paradise do 

 with that attention. The knowledge that the Doucin of the 

 French is an admirable stock for all forms of tree between 

 the standard of the orchard and the very dwarf cordon or 

 bush, will also be very useful. The Apple should not be 

 worked on the Crab unless where it is desired to form 

 large standard trees in orchards — by far the best method, if 

 properly carried out, for market and general supplies. 



Fourthly, by the practice of the French method of close 

 pruning and training the Peach tree, as described in Chapter 

 XIX. The system adopted in this country is an entirely diffe- 

 rent one — a loose, irregular style, the shoots not being suffi- 

 ciently cut back. The Peach tree is quite as amenable to exact 

 training as any other ; and when the regular system of the 

 French is understood among us, it will be adopted as the 

 best for wall culture. Preference should also be given 

 to some of the smaller forms of tree adopted by the 

 French, as they will enable us to cover our walls with fruit- 

 ful handsome trees in a few seasons instead of waiting many 

 years, as has hitherto been the case, and then perhaps never 

 seeing them well covered. These forms are particularly 



