APRICOTS TRAINING. 



57 



bearing wood in a fourth of the time needed by fan training, the grower not adopting 

 the former system must be purblind to its advantages ; but there is this to be said and 

 remembered the trees must be lifted and root-pruned as their condition requires. 

 This entails labour, culture, but of a kind that pays, in enabling the tree to ripen its 

 wood, bear uninjured the vicissitudes of our climate, better resist gum, and produce the 

 best of fruit. 



Modified Fan. A maiden apricot tree, A (Fig. 20), consists of one upright shoot 

 with a number of subsidiary growths or laterals. Let such have its roots severed with 

 a spade 12 inches from the stem, at the end of September, to arrest late growth and 

 assist in ripening the wood. When its leaves begin falling lift it carefully and plant 

 in the position it is to occupy against a wall, cutting off the laterals close to the 

 stem to the height of a foot, and when the leaves fall cut the tree down, to within 



Fig 20. FOBMING FAN-SHAPED TREES. 

 Rejerences: A, first ; B, second ; C, third pruning for producing branches. 



9 or 10 inches of the ground, as shown by the bar. The following spring encourage 

 two shoots (B), equal in strength, and as nearly on the same level as possible, training 

 them as represented. 



Laterals will push more or less ; pinch them at the first leaf and to one of sub- 

 sequent growth, but if one shoot be weaker than the other, allow it to make three 

 to five leaves, keeping the strong shoot closely pinched, and seek, by apportioning the 

 foliage, to obtain an equality of vigour in both. Towards the end of September detach 

 the roots 15 inches from the stem, and when the leaves commence falling, lift and 

 replant, shortening each shoot to 6 inches, as indicated by the bars, directly the 

 leaves fall. In the spring encourage two shoots from each branch, rubbing off others 

 disposed to grow too strongly, and pinch those not likely to interfere with the main 

 growths to three leaves. Through lifting each autumn the shoots will not generally push 

 VOL. n. I 



