NUTS TRAINING. 



35 



If six strong shoots push, in the spring after heading, they should be guided outwards 

 and at equal distances by means of a hoop placed in the centre of the head. A bush 

 started with six and doubled to twelve main branches is the best shaped, but there is 

 often some difficulty in getting that number of shoots to start at the right height and 

 place. In that case three of the best in vigour and position should be selected and all 

 others suppressed. In autumn each shoot should be shortened to an outside bud about 

 4 inches from its base, and in the following summer two shoots from each branch will 

 furnish the six required to form the head. Very pleasing and profitable bushes in goblet 

 shape may be reared by the method described for apples (Vol. II., Fig. 6, page 13). 



Fig. 9. FORMING BASIX-SHAPED COB-NVT AND FILBERT TREES. 



References: Y, layer or sucker tree established in nursery row or elsewhere, and pruned at the dotted lines to 

 originate strong shoots for the head, cutting the shoots () off close to the stem, and removing the buds, o o p ; but if 

 the stem of the tree is too weak, cut it down to the bar, and remove all the buds, except p. Z, the result of heading it 

 atp the previous year, headed as shown ; dotted lines, growths to be encouraged in the following year, and all others 

 removed. A, tree in result of heading it as shown in Yat the dotted lines, or of heading the tree Z, as shown ; also 

 showing the pruning required. E, tree in second autumn after heading, marked for pruning. C, nursery tree, three 

 or four years old (two years trained) marked for pruning ; shoots in dotted outline to be cut off close. 



These six-branched bushes are suitable for cultivation in gardens. Trees from a nursery 

 generally have a small head upon a stem of 12 to 15 inches, and this head is formed in a 

 similar way to that of a red currant bush, but in shortening the first shoots, say three, 

 the cut is made at an under bud, to cause the branches to spread instead of growing 

 upright. 



When planting, straggling roots are shortened, jagged ends pared smooth, and suckers 

 removed. If the heads are small and weak at planting it is a common practice to allow 

 the bushes to grow for a year and in winter cut them hard in to induce vigorous 

 shoots from the base, and these, reduced to six of the best, form the foundation of the 

 head. The illustrations (Fig. 9) will enable probationers to apply the foregoing remarks. 



F 2 



