Chap. XXIII.] 



TRAINING. 



399 



portion of its length above the bud that has been selected to 

 continue the growth of the coming summer. To this barked 

 portion the young shoot is trained, and a perfectly vertical growth 

 for what we may term the pillar of the tree is thereby secured. 

 The bark is neatly cut round above the upper eye ; the branch is 

 cut off at about four or five inches above that point, and then the 

 bark is taken clean ofi". When the young leading shoot is long 

 enough, it is fastened to the bare portion of the stem. 



In pruning the tree considerable judgment is required, so as 

 to get the base of the specimen well furnished, and secure fer- 

 tility in the fruiting-branches. 

 Several of the figures here given 

 will explain the practice ; which 

 is, to cut them of the greatest 

 length at the base of the tree, 

 and gradually shorten them as 

 the top is reached. The nearer 

 they spring to the soil, the 

 longer they must be left, or, 

 to be more precise, only a third 

 must be cut from the points of 

 the lowest branches ; half the 

 length may be taken from those 

 situated between summit and 

 base ; and lastly, three-quarters 

 may be cut from the most 

 elevated. In cutting-in the 

 lateral branches, the perfectly oblique direction which it is 

 desirable they should take must be borne in mind in the pruning, 

 and the terminal bud of each left as far as possible, as in the 

 figure showing this. In case of a very irregular development 

 among the laterals, incisions are made above a weak branchlet to 

 encourage it, and below a strong one to retard it until the 

 equilibrium of the branches is established. Incisions are also 

 made before a dormant bud that has failed to become developed 

 into a lateral. The weak shoot is not cut, or but very little ; the 

 strong one is cut to below the level of the one it is desired to 

 encourage. These incisions should be performed with a little saw, 

 so that the cuts may not soon heal over. The incisions should 



Pyramidal Pear-tree. Third pruning. 



