ADVICE 369 



feet six inches (and an equal height), so that the solar 

 rays may act upon the whole interior surface of the vase. 

 An interval of twelve inches should be left between each 

 of the branches. Supposing the tree to be twenty feet in 

 circumference, there should be about twenty branches at 

 the base, from which to form the tree. 



"The branches may either be trained vertically, or made 

 to cross each other alternately right to left, following an 

 angle of thirty degrees, as shown in Fig. 238. We con- 

 sider the latter form preferable. The sap acts more equally 

 throughout the entire extent of the branches, which also 

 fruit more regularly, and the tree can better support itself 

 when completely formed. 



"The method of proceeding to develop the wood is as 

 follows : Choose plants that have been grafted a year, and 

 apply the first pruning; when they have been planted out 

 another year, cut them down to sixteen inches from the 

 ground. During the summer select five shoots, and main- 

 tain an equal degree of vigor by pinching. At the second 

 pruning, cut off each of the branches to sixteen inches 

 from their base, above two buds growing laterally, so as to 

 make each of the branches fork ; lower the branches a little 

 and dispose them regularly round the circumference of the 

 stem by means of a hoop. During the summer equalize the 

 vigor between the ten shoots that have now been obtained. 

 At the third pruning, cut back each of the ten shoots to 

 twelve inches from their base, to make them fork a second 

 time. Incline the branches again, and equalize the spaces 

 between them by means of two hoops, the uppermost being 

 the larger. Treat the twenty shoots that have grown during 

 the summer in the same manner as the previous ones. At 

 the fourth pruning, suppress only the third of the length of 

 the new branches, and again incline them downwards to an 

 angle of about twenty degrees, then raise the ends of the 

 branches in a vertical position at about three feet from the 

 stem, and keep them in that position by means of addi- 

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