60 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



form is the difficulty of securing equal vigour in the side branches as in the central 

 one or leader, and eventually the lower part of the wall is liable to become unoccupied. 

 The abandonment of that stereotyped method of preparing apricot trees is strongly 

 advised in favour of the method shown and advocated, as more appropriate to the peculiar 

 character of the trees, and therefore calculated to give the greater satisfaction. As the 

 branches extend they naturally diverge, and as often as there is a distance of 15 inches 

 between them another growth should be trained in, not otherwise. The principal 

 branches will then be evenly disposed, with sufficient space for the leaves to develop, 

 and the young wood to ripen. A full-sized tree, trained as advised, is represented in F 

 (Fig. 23), with the main branches disposed as they should be, and young wood laid in 

 between them, or as weak worn-out parts are cut out in the course of intelligent prun- 

 ing. Standards on tall stems for walls require to be pruned and trained the same as 

 advised for dwarf fan-trained trees. 



Cordon Training. The maiden tree intended to be trained in this form should have 

 its roots severed in September, and be planted in the position it is to occupy as soon as 

 the leaves fall. It should be planted aslant for training diagonally, cutting it down 

 to 15 inches of the ground when the leaves fall. In spring select the most promising 

 shoot to train as leader, rub off foreright shoots or those in front of the stem, 

 lay in a well-situated shoot on each side, and pinch the rest at the second or third 

 leaf to form spurs. Train the leader its full length without stopping, and pinch the 

 laterals from it at the first joint, and to one of subsequent growth throughout the season. 

 The first year's training is shown in G (Fig. 24, next page), the tree having been headed 

 at the dotted bar. At the end of August the tree must be carefully examined, and if 

 there is a tendency to push strong side growths its roots must be severed at 12 inches 

 from the stem, lifting and replanting in October. Cut the laterals off nearly close to 

 the stem, and shorten the leader to about 2 feet, or one-third of its length. The 

 following year the leading shoot is selected, similar to that of the preceding year, and side 

 shoots are encouraged on the previous year's wood, 9 to 11 inches apart on both sides of 

 the stem, stopping them as advised for the younger tree. From the base of the bearing 

 shoots a growth must be trained to bear in turn, when the fruiting part is cut away, 

 as it should be directly the fruit is gathered. This is shown by the bars in the figure 

 ( H) as well as the second year's training, the full bar showing the current, and the 

 dotted bars the previous year's, heading back. The third year's management of the 

 cordon tree (1) is only an extended repetition of previous years' routine. The chief 



