TRAINING. 327 



The following season the two uppermost shoots are to be headed down 

 to three eyes, placed in such a manner as to throw out one leading shoot, 

 and one shoot on each side ; the two lowermost shoots are to be headed 

 down to two eyes, so as to throw out one leading shoot, and one shoot on 

 the uppermost side, as shown in fig. 285. We have now five leading 

 shoots on each side, well placed, to form our future tree. Each of 

 these shoots must be placed in the exact position in which it is to 

 remain ; and as it is these shoots which are to form the leading cha- 

 racter of the future tree, none of them are to be shortened. The tree 

 should by no means be suffered to bear any fruit this year. Each 

 shoot must now be suffered to produce, besides the leading shoot at 

 the extremity, two other shoots on the uppermost side, one near to the 

 bottom, and one about midway up the stem ; there must also be one 

 shoot on the undermost side, placed about midway between the other 

 two. All the other shoots must be pinched off in their infant state. 

 The tree will then assume, at 

 the end of the third year, the 

 appearance shown in fig. 286. 

 From this time it may be 

 allowed to bear what crop of 

 fruit the gardener thinks it 

 able to carry ; in determining 

 which he ought never to over- 

 rate the vigour of the tree. 

 All of these shoots, except the 

 leading ones, must at the proper 

 season be shortened, but to Fan-tmmng, third stage. 



what length must be left entirely to the judgment of the gardener, 

 it, of course, depending upon the vigour of the tree. In shortening 

 the shoot, care should be taken to cut back to a bud that will 

 produce a shoot for the following year. Cut close to the bud, so 

 that the wound may heal the following season. The following season 

 each shoot at the extremities of the leading branches should produce, 

 besides the leading shoot, one on the upper and two on the under part, 

 more or less, according to the vigour of the tree ; whilst each of the 

 secondary branches should produce, besides the leading shoot, one 

 other, placed near to the bottom ; for the grand art of pruning, in all 

 systems to which this class of trees are subjected, consists in preserving 

 a sufficient quantity of young wood at the bottom of the tree ; and on 

 no account must the gardener cut clean away any shoots so placed, 

 without well considering if they will be wanted, not only for the pre- 

 sent, but for the future good appearance of the tree. The quantity of 

 young wood annually laid in must depend upon the vigour of the tree. 

 It would be ridiculous to lay the same quantity of wood into a weakly 

 tree as into a tree in full vigour. But if any of the leading shoots 

 manifest a disposition to outstrip the others, a larger portion of young 

 wood must be laid in, and a greater quantity of fruit than usual 

 suffered to ripen on the over-vigorous branch. At the same time a 

 smaller quantity of fruit than usual must be left to ripen on the weaker 



