CORDON TRAINING. 



245 



would have promoted the growth of strong superfluous 

 shoots at the base, to the detriment of the terminal shoot. 



" To complete these trees, it remains only to continue 

 to prolong the stem, by means of the operations described, 

 until it reaches the top of the wall. 

 Having reached that, the stems are 

 cut, each year, about fifteen inches 

 below the coping of the wall, in order 

 to make place for the annual growth 

 of a vigorous shoot, which will cause 

 the sap to circulate freely through 

 the whole extent of the stem." 



" As to the side of the horizon to- 

 wards which the tree should be in- 

 clined, this is a matter of no import- 

 ance where the walls run east and 

 west ; but for .those north and south, 

 the stems should be inclined to the 

 south; the fruit branches on the 

 lower sides will thus be better ex- 

 posed to the light. It is recommend- 

 ed, however, that where the walls are 

 situated on sloping ground, the trees 

 should be inclined towards the summit 

 of the slope, otherwise they would 

 attain the top of the wall too soon. 



" The trees being planted about eighteen inches apart, 

 it results that the espalier, when completCj is composed of 

 branches, lying parallel, with a space of about a foot be- 

 tween them, as in fig. 119. 



" The espaliers, trained in this form, can be completed 

 in five years, whereas, by other methods, it would require 

 ten or twelve. 



" They may begin to fruit the fourth year, and be in full 

 bearing the sixth, while twenty years would be required 

 by the other methods. 



Fig. 118. OBLIQUE COB- 

 DON PEAR SECOND 

 YEAR. 



