s 6 THE FRUIT GROWERS GUIDE. 



TRAINING. 



Owing to the liability of apricot branches to die off, fan-training is the most generally 

 adopted, and it is a system which enables the cultivator to fill wall vacancies that 

 occur by a redistribution of the branches ; also it enables old parts to be removed and 

 new summer growths retained. Apricots produce fruit both on spurs and on firm 

 annual wood, but the finest fruit is usually borne on well-ripened shoots of the previous 

 year, similar to the nectarine and peach. Therefore it is essential to lay in young 

 growths thinly, as well as to reserve a goodly amount of older wood in view of obtaining 

 a plentiful crop of fruit from spurs should blossom buds not form freely en the new 

 wood. This last, in some seasons, and under all cases of luxuriant growth, does not 

 mature sufficiently early for perfecting blossom, whilst the flowers are more liable to 

 injury from cold on gross young wood than those produced on spurs through the greater 

 succulence of the former. .Bearing in mind those characteristics, it will be apparent that 

 no form of training is better than establishing a certain number of primary branches, 

 and from these encouraging a series of subordinate parts, chiefly composed of bearing 

 wood. The leading branches should not be numerous, but well defined, equal in 

 strength and regularly disposed. Side branches should proceed from the primaries at 

 an acute angle, in order that the sap may pass freely into them in its upward course, and 

 be equally distributed, for it is not desirable that these side growths should rival the 

 leading branches in vigour, unless it be found necessary to displace a worn-out or 

 diseased branch by a younger and healthier one. 



Trees against farm houses, cottages, and other buildings having doorways and 

 windows, are usually trained on the fan system, modified to suit circumstances. 

 The branches are not infrequently taken upright, while some are trained horizontally, 

 strong growths in the latter being always chosen, and the subsidiary branches always 

 taken from them at an acute angle. By these means surfaces are covered very efficiently 

 with bearing wood. Indeed, as previously indicated, the trees on farm houses and 

 cottages are often more productive than trees in gardens, where the soil is richer, and a 

 formal method of training pursued. 



Of late years single-cordon apricot trees have been recommended, both for 

 covering wall space quickly, and preventing great loss ensuing should several branches 

 or a tree collapse through gumming or the borer, a worm-like creature that penetrates 

 the wood. If by trees trained as cordons, diagonally, or even upright, with the side 

 branches radiating at an acute angle, a given wall space can be occupied with fruit- 



