48 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



planted, their growth will he greatly promoted. The 

 more the range of branches shoots circularly, inclin- 

 ing upwards, the more equally will the sap be distrib- 

 uted, and the better the tree bear. Mr. Cooper, a 

 very intelligent cultivator, remarks that the side shoots 

 should not be cut close to the stem, as the whole 

 growth is thereby forced to the top, which becomes 

 so weighty as to bend and spoil the tree. A better 

 method is, to cut the ends of the side shoots so as to 

 keep the tree in a spiral form, which will encourage 

 the growth of the trunk, until it acquires strength to 

 support a good top. The side shoots may then be 

 cut close. In forming the top, Mr. C. has found it 

 necessary to lighten the east and northeast sides, as 

 fruit trees generally incline that way ; and to encour- 

 age the branches on the opposite quarters, to keep 

 the sun from the trunk ; otherwise the rays of that 

 luminary, when striking at nearly right angles, will 

 kill the bark, bring on canker, and ruin the tree. Tn 

 Marshal's Rural Economy, we have the following di- 

 rections. In pruning the plants, the leading shoot 

 should be particularly attended to. If it shoot double, 

 the weaker of the contending branches should be tak- 

 en off. If the leader be lost and not easily recovera- 

 ble, the plant should be cut down to within a hand's 

 breadth of the soil, and a fresh stem trained. Next 

 to the leader, the stem boughs require attention. 

 The undermost boughs should be taken off by de- 

 grees ; going over the plants every winter ; always 

 cautiously preserving sufficient heads to draw up the 

 sap, thereby giving strength to the stems, and vigour 

 to the roots and branches; not trimming them up to 

 naked stems, as is the common practice, thereby draw- 

 ing them up prematurely tall and feeble in the lower 

 part of the stems. The thickness of the stem ought 

 to be in proportion to its height ; a tall stock there- 

 fore requires to remain longer in the nursery than a 



