PLANTING, PRUNINQ, AND TBAINING FRUIT-TREES. 201 



bearing-spurs to the extremity of the branches. Little more need be said on 



the subject, except that all unproductive wood, crowded spra3's, and decayed 



branches, that cross each other, should be cut 



out, the tree kept open in the centre, and the 



open cup-like form rigorously maintained. These 



remarks apply chiefly to apples, pears, and other 



trees which bear their fruit on spvu-s ; where their 



habit is diflferent, it will be noticed in treating of 



them specifically. These spurs will in time become 



long and scrubby, with many branches, as in fig. 6, 



whore we see a spur with many branches getting 



further and further away from the main branch. To 



bring it back to its proper position, cut away, neatly, 



the upper shoot at a, and the side-shoot at&, cutting 



out, also, the central shoot, when the small bud, c, will 



push out and form blossom-buds the following year. Fig. 6. 



515. When a tree is very vigorous, the buds will break strongly and run into 

 wood too strong to form blossom-buds. The remedy in this case is to break 

 the young shoot near the third bud from the main branch, leaving the broken 

 part hanging down. The time for this operation is about the middle of 

 March. The broken part, while it droops, nevertheless draws up a portion 

 of the wood-sap. The following winter, when the buds are turned into 

 blossom-buds and become fruitful, the hanging shoot should be neatly 

 primed away, when a fruitful bearing-spur will be fonned. 



516. Root-pruning I have already adverted to : it is performed by laying 

 bare the roots three feet from the stem of the tree ; then with a sharp axe, or 

 chisel and mallet, cut through a portion of the strongest roots, according to 

 the requirements of the tree. If the tree is extremely vigorous, without 

 producing fruit, two-thirds of the stronger roots cut through in this manner 

 will probably restore the tree to a state of perfect bearing ; the trench being 

 filled up with fresh virgin mould, and the tree left at rest for a year. 

 The proper season for root-pruning is the autumn, when the roots will send 

 forth small fibrous spongioles, which elaborate the sap, and form blossom - 

 buds. Should this operation fail to check the superfluous vigour of the tree, 

 the roots may be again laid bare in the following autumn, and the remaining 

 large roots cut away, avoiding, as much as possible, all injury to the smaller 

 fibres which have pushed out from the previous operation. Should the tree 

 still present an over-vigorous growth, it must be taken up entirel}', and all 

 the strong roots pruned in, then re-planted, taking care that in re-planting, 

 the tree is raised considerably above its former level — a severe operation, but 

 certain to be successful in reducing the tree to a fruitful state. 



517. Various modes of training are in use among gardeners, but none are 

 more graceful than the pyramidal form ; and it is profitable as graceful, 

 inasmuch as double the number of trees may be planted in the same space 

 without crowding. This mode of training is extensively adopted in continental 



