i88i.] FRUIT -CULTURE. 305 



of poor soil is twice as great as for one of rich, the produce is 

 often not more — sometimes less. For trees, then, the soil should 

 be made deep, if it is not so to begin with, and then the right 

 thing to do is to let your trees up, up — gradually but steadily up. 

 Gradually, so that the individual branches may have time to grow 

 stout as they grow tall, and so be able to stand beating winds. By 

 this means much of what is wanting in length and breadth may be 

 made up in height and depth. 



This is a little of the nature of a digression. The remarks were 

 prompted by the sight of a wall of-fruit trees when every growth made 

 had been snapped off— leaders and all — although two-thirds of the 

 wall was uncovered. Pruning, to some persons, simply means cutting 

 off all annual growth. In many instances no pruning is better by far 

 than this system, which has nothing to recommend it except simplicity. 

 The system is simple. 



Pyramids. — Many Apple-trees would naturally assume a pyramidal 

 shape if let alone ; others require a little pains in order to induce them 

 to take on that habit. The first thing necessary in order to succeed 

 in the formation of a symmetrical pyramid is to fix a straight stake in 

 the centre of the tree to which the leader is to be tied. Only young 

 trees should be chosen for forming pyramids from, for trees some years, 

 old which have been allowed to grow irregularly are not at all well 

 suited for the purpose. Maiden trees — trees a year from the bud 

 or graft — which have never been cut back, are best. The centre 

 shoot should be cut back in order to induce it to push side-growth 

 and then tied to the stake. Two or three shoots w411 push in 

 spring; the uppermost must be trained straight upwards, and the 

 others allowed to grow outwards. If all grow equally strong, no further 

 attention will be necessary the first season ; but if one or two (of the 

 side-shoots) run away much stronger than the others, they must be 

 pinched in whenever it is seen that they are stronger, in order to 

 equalise the growth. The second year's pruning consists in again 

 shortening the leader, and also the side-shoots ; the leader, in order to 

 induce the formation of another set of side-shoots — and the side-shoots 

 in order to cause them to form spurs. The second year's training must 

 just be the same as the first year's, but, in addition, the superfluous 

 growth on the first year's side branches must be pinched to three leaves 

 as soon as they have formed six. All terminal growths must be left to 



grow on untouched, unless they are growing very strongly, in that 



case the points should be taken out of the side-shoots when they are 

 about 10 inches long, and out of the leader when it is about 15 inches. 

 This will cause a second growth (which will be equal to a year's gain), 

 which must by no means be again pinched. All superfluous shoots 

 must be spurred in by pinching as before. We need not repeat the 

 above. Year by year the operations are the same. The aim and object 

 of shortening-in the leaders is to cause enough of furnishing shoots to 



