APPLES TRAINING. zj 



secure the growth to a stake to prevent damage from wind, and a perfectly straight 

 upright stem. Heading is not advisable as it causes a kink in the stem more or less 

 unsightly. The second year the tree should have a stout stake to the height of p, 

 in M, and as the growth will extend beyond it, the top of the tree may be pinched 

 off to not less than six leaves from where the winter pruning is to take place, at the bar, q, 

 to originate the shoots for the head of the standard the following year. Stopped at p. 

 ^arly in June, or when sufficiently advanced, laterals will be formed as indicated by 

 the dotted shoots and leaves. These can be pinched at the fifth or sixth leaf if the 

 growth exceed that length. Side shoots will also form on the stem, and may remain, 

 as they will help to thicken it, and in September be shortened to four or six leaves 

 according to their length. These at the winter pruning are to be cut away close to the 

 stem, and the head cut off above three good buds at the bar q. In the following, or 

 third, year three shoots will issue from the buds immediately below ; encourage those 

 by rubbing off all others for a time, but when the three are well in advance any that 

 proceed from the stem may grow, keeping them subordinate to the others, for forming 

 the head, yet present to use up any excess of sap, which at the same time strengthens 

 the stem and prevents the head growths from becoming unduly vigorous. This is 

 represented in N. It is essential that the three shoots be as nearly as possible equal 

 in strength. If one have more vigour than another it should be depressed, which can 

 readily be effected by a bent stick secured to the stem, whereby the growth can be 

 regulated through depression or elevation as strength or weakness necessitate. Growths 

 from the stem should be pinched to five or six leaves in June, still closer in September, 

 and cut clean away at the winter pruning; each growth of the head (r) to be cut 

 back to three good buds at the same time. 



In the fourth year take two shoots from each shortened branch, rubbing the 

 others off, with all growths from the stem, and a tree will be formed as in 

 figure 0. Any laterals pushing from the shoots stop at the first leaf. Shorten each 

 shoot to 6 inches at the winter priming (s), observing to make sure of two good buds 

 as the termination of each. In the fifth year two growths should be encouraged from 

 each shoot on a level with each other, sideways, rather than one above the other. The 

 direction of the growths is shown by the dotted lines. The treatment of these, and the 

 side shoots, is the same as is stated for Open Bush Trees (page 14), both in the current 

 and subsequent years. These low-stemmed, compact-headed standard trees are by some 

 preferred to pyramid or dwarf forms, as being better adapted for intermediate cropping 



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