82 FRUIT TREES. 



but have an equal weight, for the fruit retained in- 

 creases by means of the sap of those suppressed. As 

 to the proportion of the fruit to be retained, the fol- 

 lowing rule should be observed : The number of fruits 

 allowed to ripen should equal about the fourth of the 

 number of all the fruit-branches. The suppression 

 must only be made when nature has made her choice, 

 that is, when the fruits have attained about one-fourth 

 of their development. 



TRAINING OF THE PEAR IN YASE OR GOBLET FORM. 



Trees in the pyramidal form are, in some situations, 

 liable to injury from high winds. When that is the 

 case, the vase or goblet form may be substituted. But 

 it is not otherwise to be preferred, for it requires as 

 much room as the pyramid form, and does not present 

 so great a fruit-bearing surface. 



Trees in vase form should have a diameter of about 

 six feet six inches (and an equal height), so that the 

 solar rays may act upon the whole interior surface of 

 the vase. An interval of twelve inches should be left 

 between each of the branches. Supposing the tree to be 

 20 feet in circumference, there should be about twenty 

 branches at the base, from which to form the tree. 



The branches may either be trained vertically, or 

 made to cross each other alternately right to left, fol- 

 lowing an angle of 30 degrees, as shown in fig. 77. We 

 consider the latter form preferable. The sap acts more 

 equally throughout the entire extent of the branches, 



