SPECIAL FORMS FOR TRAINED TREES 



WE have already explained the connection between 

 dwarf trees and the practise of training them in 

 special forms. It is true that this practise looks child- 

 ish to American eyes. It seems to be only a kind of 

 play, and a rather juvenile sport at that. Never- 

 theless we should understand that in some parts of 

 the world it is a real and profitable commercial under- 

 taking. We should consider also that in other places, 

 where fruit of very high quality is better appreciated, 

 perhaps, than it is in America, the extra trouble is 

 thought to be worth while for the superior quality 

 which it g ; ves the fruit. As this matter is coming to 

 be of more importance in America also, and as the 

 interest in amateur fruit growing is enormously in- 

 creasing, we may fairly begin to talk about these 

 methods. 



The formation of trees into bushes and pyramids, 

 by means of systematic pruning according to a def- 

 inite plan, as explained in the succeeding chapters, 

 while apparently simpler and more reasonable to our 

 American eyes, it is still a method of training the tree. 

 The fruiting branches are placed at definite points 

 and the fruit spurs are encouraged to grow in regular 

 succession. It is not a very great step from this to 

 a distribution of the branches into a more precise form. 



