368 SOME SPECIFIC MODES OF TRAINING 



generally make shorter and stronger growths, well studded 

 with strong clusters of buds. In this case it is inadvisable 

 to shorten them back at all. A watchful eye must always 

 be kept on the lower portion of the tree, so that it is not 

 allowed to get bare of young fruit -bearing growths. It 

 need scarcely be said that, from the fact that it is the 

 young wood that bears, the tendency is for it to be in 

 greatest abundance at the top. 



"The best guarantee against trees becoming bare of 

 young bearing-wood at their lowest parts, is to annually cut 

 back a few healthy young growths to two or three eyes, 

 and allow as many of these to bud and grow as may be re- 

 quired to keep up the supply of young wood. This is an 

 indispensable necessity, from the fact that portions of old 

 wood have annually to be removed at the top of the tree. 

 In practice, all other things being equal, there is little diffi- 

 culty experienced in thus furnishing the lower portions of 

 the tree with bearing -wood. All cutting should be effected 

 with a sharp, thin knife; and whenever it becomes neces- 

 sary to remove an old limb, the wound should be painted 

 solidly over with white paint." 



In order to show the nicety to which training 

 may be carried, the following extract from Du 

 Breuil will be interesting : * 



"TRAINING OF THE PEAR IN VASE OR GOBLET FORM. 

 Trees in the pyramidal form are, in some situations, liable 

 to injury from high winds. When that is the case, the 

 vase or goblet form may be substituted. But it is not 

 otherwise to be preferred, for it requires as much room as 

 the pyramid form, and does not present so great a fruit - 

 bearing surface. 



" Trees in vase form should leave a diameter of about six 



*"The Scientific and Profitable Culture of Fruit Trees." 



