306 



THE FRUIT PLANTATION 



PRUNING. Having planted the trees, they should be 

 carefully pruned. - As a rule, trees with low heads are 

 desirable, and dwarf pears and peaches should have the 

 lower branches from twelve to twenty -four inches above 

 ground, and sweet cherries and standard pears can gener- 

 ally be headed not over thirty inches from the ground ; 

 plums, sour cherries and apple can be somewhat higher, 



205. Lean-to fruit cellar, covered with earth. It should be built of 

 mason work, with a roof of stone slabs, or of planks covered 

 with an inch or two of cement. It should be provided with a 

 ventilator at the top. Store the fruit on shelves or in barrels. 



but if properly handled, when trimmed three feet from 

 the ground, will not be in the way of the cultivation of 

 the orchard. For all except the peach in the northern 

 states, a pyramidal form will be desirable. To secure 

 this, four or five side branches with three or four buds 

 each, should be allowed to grow and the center shoot 

 should be cut off at a height of from ten to twelve 

 inches. After growth has started, the trees should be 

 occasionally examined and all surplus shoots removed, 



