CHAPTER VII 

 Forms of Fruit Trees 



THERE are many forms of fruit trees, and the amateur who is 

 not conversant with them may well be excused if sometimes 

 he is bewildered. 



Standard. Everyone knows and recognises a standard tree, 

 of which the branches are at the top of a stem of greater or less 

 height. A half-standard is one in which the stem is consider- 

 ably less tall than the full standard ; it is to be commended 

 for small gardens. Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries chiefly 

 are grown as standards and half-standards. 



Bush and Pyramid. The commonest forms of fruit tree 

 are the bush and pyramid. The bush has no pronounced cen- 

 tral stem, the branches arise from towards the base, and the 

 centre is therefore more or less open. The pyramid, on the 

 other hand, has a distinct, central stem, and the branches arise 

 from it at intervals throughout its full length. As the stem 

 increases in height so, too, are more branches formed. The 

 Apple is commonly grown as a bush ; Pear is supplied as a 

 pyramid, and the Plum either as a pyramid or bush. 



Cordon. A cordon tree is suitable for planting against a 

 wall, espalier, or trellis. There are single cordons having only 

 one stem, double cordons having two stems, and treble cordons 

 having three stems. Further, there are upright and oblique 

 cordons ; in the former the branches are upright ; in the latter 

 they are slanting. There are also horizontal cordons, in which 

 the branches are trained in a horizontal direction ; these are 

 very useful for planting alongside the garden walks. The 

 horizontal cordon may be single, having one branch only, or 

 it may be double, in which case it possesses two branches, one 

 on each side of the short stem. Apples and Pears, together 

 with Gooseberries and Red and White Currants, are most 

 commonly grown as cordons. Apples only are, as a rifle, grown 

 in the form of horizontal cordon. 



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