i88i.] FRUIT -CULTURE. 303 



than medium-sized, regular pruning of the branches, both in summer 

 and winter, will be necessary ; hence it is desirable that the branches 

 to be operated upon be not elevated unnecessarily. Whatever form of 

 tree may be adopted, then, trees with short stems should be chosen. 



Form. — We are somewhat at a loss whether to advise beginners to 

 train their trees in a cup-shaped or pyramidal form. We have seen 

 handsome fruitful trees both ways, and think that we cannot do better 

 than describe both methods, so that, whatever form may be fixed upon, 

 the pruning may be successfully carried out. 



Ciq^sJiaped trees are more easily produced than pyramids, for some 

 varieties can only be made to assume the latter form with a good deal 

 of trouble and labour. In the case of young trees a couple of years 

 old or so, with from half-a-dozen to a dozen shoots, the shoots may be 

 so regularly placed that nothing is required but a shortening back of 

 the growths. Strong vigorous shoots need to be shortened back more 

 than half-way, for if left long, the basal half of the shoots will fail to 

 push into growths, and so remain bare, and long bare branches should 

 be guarded against ; every portion requires to be clothed with fruit- 

 bearing spurs, and one thing necessary for this is a proper shortening- 

 in of the shoots annually. No two kinds of Apple-trees need the same 

 kind of treatment in this respect. Some kinds are naturally furnished 

 with a profusion of spurs, while others have a tendency to remain bare 

 to a great extent. Those which have a tendency to remain unfurnished, 

 should be shortened further back than those with a different tendency. 



Although some trees may be well provided with shoots to form a 

 good foundation for the future tree, the majority will require assistance 

 in this matter. Some may require hard cutting back, in order to induce 

 them to push a sufficient number of shoots. Others may require the 

 centre to be cut out, if the centre should be strong and the side 

 branches weak. In the majority of cases it will be advisable to place 

 a small hoop in the centre of each tree, to which the shoots are to be 

 securely yet loosely tied. At first the shoots should leave the main 

 stem at an angle of something like 45''. Should some of them 

 run away much stronger than the rest, they (the strong ones) should 

 be pinched — that is, have the growing point removed — about midsum- 

 mer. The weaker ones will then grow stronger and make up lost 

 ground to some extent ; and if the practice is persisted in year after year, 

 a proper balance will be established. The pinched shoots will probably 

 push again, but must be repinched, and so restrained from running 

 away with more than their proper share of the sap. The second year 

 they should again be shortened back as before, and the hoop en- 

 larged and moved upwards, and the shoots again properly fastened. 

 This process should be repeated yearly, until the trees have been 

 brought to assume the desired form. We may say here that the 

 branches should be kept parallel with each other, and about a foot 

 apart, while one tree should not approach nearer to its neighbour than 



