144 
word^^a, espau meaning a stake or pole, since 
at the outset the espaher was simply a hedge 
of fruit or other trees, supported by stakes. 
Whichever of these sources is accepted, it is 
certain that the word formed part of the French 
language of the XVIth century, in its tran- 
sitional form espau/iere. The espalier was at 
that time a palisade of evergreens, so clipped 
and shaved as to form a wall, and planted either 
for ornament or shelter. Not that the plant- 
ing of fruit trees upon walls was unknown at 
that period, for in cold and even temperate 
countries it must have struck the planters of 
those days that trees so sheltered gained in many 
ways, not only by the support and shelter, but 
as presenting the largest possible surface to air 
and sunlight. Thus the practice of planting 
in espalier originated in the middle ages, and 
was certainly followed in the best gardens of 
the north of France, and perhaps also in 
Belgium, Holland, and Germany, more especi- 
ally for the cultivation of the Vine, as need- 
ing all the sunlight possible. Old books do 
not mention this, but there is other evidence 
of the fact in an old painting of the Louvre 
collection, called Une donatrice — the portrait 
of a lady of the XVth century, belonging to 
the Franco-Flemish school of art. This paint- 
ing shows an espalier for vines, very neatly put 
together, and in which they are supported in 
a curious way by four strips of linen or white 
cloth stretched lengthwise, regularly spaced, 
and fixed with nails to wooden uprightspainted 
green. A photograph could not be more pre- 
cise in its details, and here we have evidence 
of the use of the espalier in gardens as early 
as the XV th century, and that in a way which 
suggests a long previous practice. This is 
interesting in view of the common idea that 
espalier cultivation only dates back to the reigns 
of Louis the Xlllth or XIV th, though doubt- 
less that period saw a great extension of the 
system. 
Claude Mollet, gardener to Henry IIL and 
Henry IV. of France, first speaks of espaliers, 
properly so-called. Writingearly intheXVIIth 
century he plainly regards them as nothing 
new, but recommends them only for the Apri- 
cot and the " Paired' which he says " Are to be 
trained against a trellis along a wall, exactly 
facing the sun in the south." Jacques Boyceau, 
I SieurdelaBarauderie, Intendant of the gardens 
of Louis XIII., in his "Traite du Jardinage" 
(now very rare) of 1638, devotes a chapter to 
i espaliers and the practice of spreading the 
t branches " in the form of an open hand," a 
system that was plainly wellknown at the time. 
The espalier cultivation of Peaches, Apricots, 
j Figs, Almonds, Plums, and several kinds of 
Pear, are part of his system, the trees being 
protected while in blossom by awnings. About 
I the middle of the XVIIth century the espalier 
I — in the language of the time — -fait le principal ^ 
! ornement des jardins. Magistrates like Guill- 
aume de Lamoignon and Lefevre d'Ormesson, 
courtiers like Arnauld d'Andilly, and many 
j church dignitaries, developed a passion for 
fruit culture. About this time also appeared 
' some noteworthy books on the subject, which 
may still be considered as classics. The earliest 
I of these is the "Jardinier Fran(;ais" of Nicho- 
las de Bonnefons, which appeared in 1651. 
j The earlier editions contain a pretty engrav- 
I ing on copper by the artist Chauveau, showing 
an espalier in course of preparation, with its 
wooden trelhs fixed to the wall. This vignette 
is wanting in later editions, but the original 
is to be seen at the French Bibliotheque 
Nationale. Following this was "La Maniere 
de cultiverles Arbres Fruitiers," by LeGendre, 
cure of Henonville, the first edition of which 
saw the light in 1652. The next year appeared 
" Instruction pour les jardins fruitiers," by 
Triquel, prior of St Marc ; while yet another 
' ecclesiastic treats of the subject in the "Jar- 
dinier royal" of 1661. This volume, at first 
wrongly attributed to Robert Arnauld d'An- 
dilly — the jansenist of Port Royal — is now 
i known to have been the work of Guillaume 
Cardinal, a Canon of Beauvais. Of these old 
writings it has been said by Petit-Thouars, in 
' " Le Verger Frangais," that " What the art 
has really gained since they were penned, may 
be reduced to a small number of essential 
points." Admitting that this can hardly be 
I maintained at the present time, it is certain 
that the publication of these volumes marked 
an epoch in the history of fruit culture in the 
wide establishment of the espalier, and the 
beginnings of that careful pruning which has 
been the direct consequence of the system, and 
the foundation of our present methods. 
