34 



THE FRUIT-TREE AND SHRUB TRUNER. 



pruned, for my trees thus pruned produced fruit like 

 ropes of onions, and it was considerably finer than it 

 would have been if the trees had not been so closely 

 attended to. The trees present a very neat and compact 

 appearance, do not shade the ground, and room is left 

 for more variety or a greater number of trees. 



If summer pruning is well followed up, an abundance 

 of fruit spurs in clusters will be formed. If winter prun- 

 ing only is adopted, cut as close to the base of the last 

 season's growth as possible, using a large keen-edged 

 pruning knife, and make the cuts short across the 

 wood. It may be necessary to root-prune a few sorts, 



Fig. 31. 



as I have already said, if they are grafted on the crab, 

 but trees for this purpose should be chosen that are 

 worked upon the Apple stock. In the first instance, 

 when a young tree is planted, look well to the sym- 

 metrical formation of the plant. Set out the first 

 principals of the head of the tree. If a maiden plant 

 is used, decapitate the tree at the proper height for a 

 half-standard or standard, and set out the branches as 

 equidistant as may be possible. Then fill up between 

 them with second principals, and ultimately the diverg- 

 ing laterals ; and when the head is formed similar to 

 Fig. 31, maintain its character as long as the tree will 

 bear, which will be many years ; but when the tree 



