374 



THE PALMETTE VEREIEH. 



point out its advantages in securing an equal flow of sap to 

 all the branches. 



In the common horizontal form strength and fertility- 

 are apt to desert the lower branches^ in consequence of 

 their not possessing a growing point to draw the sap through, 

 and particularly when constant care is not taken to repress, 

 by summer pinching, the upper portions of the tree. The 

 form here figured, in common with all very large wall and 

 espalier trees, takes a long time to complete. Given a wall 

 10 ft. or 12 ft. high, and 20 ft. or 24 ft. long, to be covered 

 with a tree of this shape, it would require fifteen or sixteen 

 years to form it. By adopting a more contracted form 

 based upon the same plan, we may cover the wall or trellis 

 more quickly. 



The Palmette Verrier is named after the fruit gardener 

 at the Ecole Region ale de la Saulsaie, with whom it was first 

 observed. To form the tree, we have in the first instance 

 to plant an ordinary young plant of a desired kind, and of 

 course that should be of the primest kind, both as to 

 quality and constitution, as so much care is about to be 

 exercised to make it a handsome and long-lived ornament to 

 the garden and valuable aid to the fruit room. In forming 

 this as all other trees, the usual and most economical custom 

 is to choose plants about a year old from the time of grafting, 

 or what are usually called " maiden plants,-"^ and which when 

 planted are cut down to within about a foot of the surface 

 of the soil. Three well placed buds are allowed to remain 

 and form three shoots. The two side ones go to form the 

 lowest and longest branches of this handsome form of tree, 

 and at the second pruning the young trees would have 

 somewhat the appearance of fig. 172. It is quite easy to 

 buy trees a little more advanced to make the same form 

 more quickly j but they will be more expensive the further 

 they are advanced beyond what is called the maiden"^ 

 stage. The young trees should be allowed to remain a year 

 or so in their positions before being cut, so that they may 

 have rooted well. At the first pruning the young tree is 

 cut down to within a foot or so of the ground, and just 

 above three suitable eyes, one at each side to form the two 



