PYRAMIDAL FRUIT-TREES. 407 PYRAMIDAL FRUIT-TREES. 



spring forth with great vigour, spreading 

 on all sides ; and now the first foundation 

 of the pyramidal form is laid, by extending 

 the shoots horizontally, and tying them 

 firmly to stakes so 

 placed that the 

 range of branches 

 forming the bottom 

 of the pyramid 

 should project away 

 from the tree at 

 nearly right angles, 

 and at equal dis- 

 tances from each 

 other. If they are 

 too numerous, the 

 superfluous shoots 

 should be cut off. 



Third Year. 

 The thir 1 summer, 

 if it continues in a 

 healthy state, the 

 tree will present the 

 appearance of Fig. 

 3, with this excep- 

 tion, that the lower 

 branches will be more horizontal in 

 position than they are here represented 

 in consequence of being tied to the 

 stakes. If some of the branches have 

 grown more vigorously than others dur- 

 ing the summer, such shoots should be 

 pruned in to where the lines cross the 

 branches. On the other hand, should 

 others develop themselves feebly, they 

 should be left at their full length, so that 

 the descending sap, elaborated by the 

 leaves, should deposit a larger amount of 

 cambium. Strong shoots may also have 

 their vigour modified by making an in- 

 cision immediately below their junction 

 with the stem, just before the sap rises in 

 the stem ; and if a desirable bud remain 

 dormant, it may be forced into growth by 

 making an incision just above it. Where 

 a large vacancy occurs between the 



FIG. 2. PYRAMID IN 

 SECOND YEAR. 



branches, then a side graft should be 

 inserted to fill up the space. 



Fourth Year. The branches should, in 

 the third year, again be cut at A, and in 

 the fourth year the tree will present the 

 appearance represented in Fig. 4, when the 

 main stem should be again cut at A, and 

 the lateral branches at the points at which 

 they are crossed by short lines. The 

 branches will then most likely begin to 

 throw out fruiting spurs ; these should be 

 carefully encouraged, for on the number of 

 spurs which a branch exhibits it entirely 

 depends whether the tree is to bear a good 

 show of fruit or not. 



Fifth Year. The tiers of branches, as 

 they advance in height, should be regulated 

 so that every side is furnished with an 

 equal number of branches. In the autumn 

 of the fifth year the 

 form of the tree 

 will resemble that 

 which is shown in 

 Fig. 5. The pru- 

 ning is now confined 

 to shortening the 

 leading shoots and 

 the laterals, as be- 

 fore, where the lines 

 cross the branches. 

 The spurs should be 

 carefully examined, 

 and if any of them 

 get long and branch- 

 ing, prune them in. 



Sixth Year. In 

 the sixth year the 

 tree, continuing its 

 progressive growth, 

 presents the ap- 

 pearance represen- 

 ted in Fig. 6. It is now a tree of con- 

 siderable size, and requires, besides the 

 regular annual pruning of the leading 

 shoots and spurs, that the lateral branches 

 should be cut in a line as nearly as pos- 



FIG. 3. PYRAMID 

 THIRD YEAR. 



