Training against espaliers was formerly more practised than at present. The difficulty of getting the old varieties to bear apart from a wall, together with tho expense of erecting the espalier, and the liability of its materials to decay, have no doubt tended to bring this mode into disuse. It is however worthy of remark, that a greater extent of foliage can be exposed to direct light by espalier training than by any other on an equal extent of ground. New varieties will do away with the objection of unproductiveuess ; and although the contact of metallic substances is not congenial to vegetable growth, yet the principal supports of the espalier might be constructed of cast-iron, which would prove an ultimate saving; the small inter mediate wood-work that would be requisite could be easily replaced.
In the cultivation of pears as standards, the head is allowed to take nearly its natural course, being only subjected to such regulations, by pruning, as are necessary to preserve the equality of the principal branches with regard both to strength and distance; and likewise to render the whole sufficiently thin, in order that the sun's rays may be freely admitted.
In some situations, many kinds of i!ears remain long unfruitful ; the beet means of rendering them otherwise is of course a most important desideratum. So long as circumstances are very favourable for the growth of wood, blossom-buds are not likely to be produced ; the production of the latter results from a more inspiesated state of the juices; and will not take place whilst a copious flow of sap is con tinued. This may be interrupted by ligature, ringing, grafting, or other analogous means. But these means frequently afford only a temporary remedy, and a' repetition of the process is at the expense of the energies of the tree, so that it is rendered too weak for future bearing. There is still a mere important object which the above means are not calculated to affect. If the roots are in a cold subsoil or out of the reach of solar influence, the fruit will only acquire an inferior degree of flavour. If however the treo be carefully removed (for doing which autumn is the best season). the soil well dug, or even renewed, and the tree deprived of such roots as cannot be brought to a hori zontal position, namely, that in which all the others should be placed when replanted, and if this be done as shallow as possible, a satis factory check will be occasioned„fruitfulncss induced, and flavour communicated.
The management of dwarf standards is similar to that required for tall standards, excepting that the head ie formed at the height of one or two feet from the ground, instead of six, the usual height allowed for the stems of standard trees in orchards, or where under-cropping is carried on, as in market-gardens, where the dwarf-headed trees would obstruct the growth of vegetables for a considerable distance from their stem. Dwarfs however have some important advantages ; a large
head is sooner formed, and the fruit is not so liable to be blown down.
The French modes of training en Quenouille or en Pyramide cannot be strictly adopted in this country with advantage, owing to the richness of the soil and moisture of the climate, circumstances which are favourable to the production of shoots rather than fruit-buds, and this tendency is farther encouraged by shortening the shoots to the extent which the French recommend. In both those modes tiers of branches proceed from a central atom ; in the pyramidal form the branches are horizontal, each tier being successively shorter than the one below. In the Quenouille the branches are curved down wards, and this mode might be successfully practised in this country, by leaving the shouts at full length, care being taken that all upright shoots are shortened in sutnmer.
The pruning of standard pear-trees is usually confined to the winter regulation of the branches by thinning, and shortening where the sub division of branches is desirable or where they are too weak. Wall and espalier trees require both a summer and winter pruning. In summer a number of shoots will be produced beyond that which will be required for training. If those are allowed to grow without inter ruption during a considerable part of the season, and then at once cleared away, the tree is apt to receive a shook from which it does not soon recover. If the shoots are shortened too much or too early, the buds, which would otherwise have proved blossom buds in the follow ing spring, will immediately become excited (other channels for the flow of sap being cut off), and burst into shoots. [Moitenotoev.) In order to avoid this, which is a case of frequent occurrence, a portion of these superfluous shoots should be first stopped at an early period, and afterwards another portion : by the middle of June part of them may be cut back to within two or three inches of their base; and thus by degrees the whole will be ultimately reduced, without any great or sudden derangement of the general flow of the sap. The winter pruning is attended with leas vital danger to the tree. It consists chiefly in shortening spurs to the lowest fruit-buds and judiciously thinning them.
If borders are well made, there will be less occasion for raising the trees after they have been once planted. Still, after four or five years, it will, under all circumstances, prove advantageous to remove the trees from the wall, trench the border, and replant, spreading the route near the surface in a horizontal direction, or inclining slightly downwards. Cutting the roots, without entirely removing the tree, is attended with the disadvantages arising from the partial loosening of the soil, and the difficulty of reaching the perpendicular portions of the root.