GENERAL PRACTICE. SHAPING AND TRAINING. 185 



the tree $ one year from the maiden headed the previous season at 1 is intended to 

 be trained in fan fashion, the branches must be cut back at the bars (2) for originating 

 the foundation growths, as indicated by the dotted lines, from their corresponding buds. 



If a horizontal -trained tree is desired, the central branch only is shortened back 

 where shown by the dotted bar (3); the two side branches having their laterals cut back 

 to a sound bud nearest the base, as indicated by the bars, are trained in their full 

 length. The result is as seen in T, which clearly demonstrates the difference between 

 cutting growths away and retaining them in positions favouring fruit-bud formation. 

 The side branches should be brought down so as to have a slight curve upwards from 

 the stem, the depression of the branches being sufficient to arrest the sap in flowing 

 round the bend so as to cause the buds there to break. After the branches are set the 

 sap flows freely round the curve, which is all important to the growths on the horizontal 

 branches, for insuring adequate vigour with productiveness. The horizontal position of 

 the branches causes all the buds along them to push, a point of much importance, because 

 buds remaining dormant are alike fatal to symmetry and a loss of productive force ; 

 indeed, bare branches represent a waste of space, time, and produce. 



To ensure equal vigour in the side shoots last originated (4) as in the central leading 

 growth (5), they are trained with a gentle curve from the stem upwards, and if one is 

 stronger than the other, it is depressed so as to cause the sap to flow less freely to it, 

 thereby invigorating the other. The central shoot may be treated similarly, but bending 

 leaders or pinching out their points usually results in a quantity of spray. Therefore, 

 instead of balancing growth in the leader by depression, cut it boldly off at the bar (5), 

 when sufficiently vigorous and advanced, say from midsummer to mid-July, and thus 

 secure two side-growths and a leader, as indicated by the dotted outlines, which results 

 in two pairs of branches in one year. The side-shoots (4) should be brought into a 

 horizontal position when the leader is cut back, which prevents their becoming gross and 

 pushing laterals, and the sap being concentrated on the leaves throughout the whole 

 length of the branches, spur or blossom bud formation takes place the sooner. Indeed, 

 the transformation of wood buds to blossom buds is in that way rendered complete in all 

 stone fruits, and often in apple and pear trees under favouring climatic and cultural 

 conditions. Some enlargement of the embryonic formation always occurs in the buds, 

 through depression of the branches ; this is shown in the detached horizontal branches 

 (6). These, in the following season, if not in the year of formation, are sure in the case 

 of the apple and pear to form spurs with blossom buds, as represented in the first tier of 



VOL. i. B B 



