58 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ April, 
THE CULTURE OF WALL FRUITS. 
Chapter XX.—THE PLUM. 
« HE culture of this fruit on Pyramid and 
Bush trees has of late years been greatly 
on the increase, and to obtain a supply 
for general purposes, such as for preserving and 
for kitchen use, no better method could be recom¬ 
mended ; but for dessert purposes, the finest 
varieties will always require to be grown on 
walls, or in orchard-houses. The latter mode of 
culture can, of course, only be carried out by the 
favoured few, and will not to any great extent 
influence the supply required in large esta¬ 
blishments, so that the generality of gardeners 
will have to depend on wall-culture for their 
best table fruits. 
The fundamental rules of practice as regards 
the thorough drainage and the formation and 
depth of the borders, which were explained in 
detail when treating of the Peach and Apricot, 
are equally applicable and necessary in the 
case of the Plum; the manipulation of the 
branches in like manner and training, on 
which all subsequent operations are based, 
assimilate also in some degree, being re¬ 
gulated by one common ground of action. 
As regards disbudding and stopping, more 
liberty, however, may be taken in the training 
of Plums than with either the Peach or Apri¬ 
cot. For example, the trees may with great 
advantage be subjected to a strictly horizontal 
method of training, by which excellent crops 
may be matured. In this method the fruit is 
produced almost entirely upon spurs, and to 
the attainment of a good supply of these along 
the horizontal branches the culture during the 
growing period must be directed. It is a slow 
process, as the management must be com¬ 
menced from the very first season after plant¬ 
ing ; but on the whole, the advantage derived 
is very great, as the trees may be limited to a 
circumscribed area with very great facility, and 
thus within the same space a greater number 
of varieties may be included than by a more 
extended system of training. Moreover, when 
well furnished with spurs, and aided by the 
necessary feeding at the roots to keep up their 
strength, the trees will continue in a healthy 
bearing condition for many years. Root- 
pruning, in the case of trees so treated, is 
entirely misplaced, because the influence of the 
young shoots and the foliage on the forma¬ 
tion of roots is so direct and so great, that 
when we prevent a too-liberal development of 
wood and foliage we place a very great check 
on the growth of the roots, and thus render it 
comparatively easy to maintain the balance 
between the two. But, as I shall presently 
remark in detail, there must be a constant 
supervision over the growth, and none must be 
allowed but what is absolutely necessary, for 
if left to run unchecked it is needless to expect 
results. Trees of this kind when planted 
under favourable conditions as to soil and 
climate, are always more ready to throw out an 
abundant growth than to perfect fruit, and it 
is only when we threaten their existence by 
constantly checking this tendency to growth, 
that fruitfulness of habit is induced, and this, 
when once induced, is a valuable help to the 
operator in keeping up the balance. 
The method of training, which is called fan¬ 
shaped, that is, where the branches all radiate 
from one common centre, has much to recom¬ 
mend it, because by it quicker results may be 
obtained in the production of fruit, but the 
growth is apt to become exceedingly strong, 
owing to the necessity for training in young 
shoots at their full length, instead of pinch¬ 
ing them back ; and to do the trees justice, 
they require a much lar-ger space for 
development than can usually be spared for 
them. It is at this point, bearing the above 
facts in mind, that we are enabled to appre¬ 
ciate the advantages which may be secured by 
a judicious course of what is called root- 
pruning, which is intended to check a too- 
liberal growth of wood, to induce a fruitful 
habit, and to keep the trees within such 
bounds as can be allotted to them. 
In fact, the whole system of the culture of 
fruit-trees resolves itself into the attainment 
of an equality of action between the roots and 
branches. Naturally, when left unchecked in 
any way, it is generally some years before such 
trees become fruitful, but when once the 
balance is attained, the mutual operations pro¬ 
ceed without interruption, and the trees regu¬ 
late themselves. If in one year they carry 
large crops, they will recoup themselves the 
next by making more growth. Artificially, by 
pruning and training, we endeavour to attain 
