PLANTING, PRUNING, AND TRAINING FRUIT-TREES. 205 



520. Some years ago, M. Cappe, a gentleman of very great experience in 

 the management of fruit-trees, and curator of the gardens belonging to the 

 Museum of Natural History in Paris, devised a modification of the pyramidal 

 form, which secures a more complete diffusion of light and air in the interior 

 of the trees, causing the centre of the tree to be more fruitful, and the fruit 

 to ripen and colour more perfectly. He terms it the winged pyramid, and 

 certainly a tree so managed exhibits the highest skill in pruning and training, 

 and is, independently of its fruit-bearing qualities, a most beautiful object. In 

 adopting this system of training, a long pole of oak, or some other imperishable 

 wood, some thirty feet in length, and charred at the lower extremity for about 

 four feet, is employed. The charred end is driven firmly into the soil, close to 

 the stem of the tree. At the upper extremity of the pole is fixed a strong iron 

 ring or hoop, perforated with five holes equidistant from each other ; five 

 strong stumps of oak, charred like the pole, are driven into the earth, at spots 

 corresponding with the holes in the hoop, the tops being four inches above the 

 ground, and having a strong staple attached to them. Five iron rods with hooks 

 are attached to the staples at one end, and to the holes in the hoops at the 

 other: this is the framework of the winged pyramidal tree. These pre- 

 parations being completed, the tree is planted in the soil, and on a station pre- 

 viously prepared for it, and pruned annually, so as to produce lateral branches 

 in the manner already described. The branches are to be trained in right 

 lines, slightly rising at the points towards the iron rods. It is evident that 

 there will be regulated lines or openings between each of the five rods, into 

 which light and air penetrate without obstruction, the openings also enabling 

 the operator to reach every part of the tree with great facility ; for the radiating 

 branches should not be too close together in trees trained in this manner : 

 20 inches would be a proper distance, though that would greatly depend 

 upon the habit of the tree. In one of vigorous growth, that distance would' 

 not be too great ; but for one of delicate growth 16 inches would probably 

 be better. In the cut at the head of this chapter we have a tree trained by 

 this ingenious method, which exhibits at once the form, and the means by 

 which it has been attained. In reducing it to this shape, the various points 

 of pruning and training, which are identical with those already described, 

 must be rigorously followed. 



5 2 1. Any large and straight tree that has been allowed to grow in a wild 

 manner, may, by grafting, be converted into the pyramidal form, like that 

 illustrated in fig. 13. By a process of this kind, following the directions 

 already given for side-grafting, fine new varieties of fruit may be raised in a 

 comparatively short period, and a comparatively lifeless tree converted into- 

 an object of great beauty. 



522. Another method of training the pear-tree, which has obtained some 

 reputation with our French neighbours, was first practised by M. Verrier, chief 

 gardener at Saulsaye, by whose name it is known. The tree is subjected tO' 

 this training when it has attained a central stem and two lateral branches, as- 



