186 FRUIT TREES. 



sixteen inches apart, instead of from 24 to 30 inches, 

 as by the former method. 



The plan is not only applicable to future planting, 

 but quite as much so to trees already planted, be their 

 age less or more. The method of proceeding is as 

 follows : 



1. For trees that have been planted one year in 

 oblique cordon, 30 inches apart, leave them to complete 

 their second summer's . growth, and in November 

 shift them, bringing them within sixteen inches of 

 each other. 



2. Those that have been planted a year longer treat 

 in the same manner. 



3. Those trees that are of greater age, whatever be 

 their form, cut the fruit-branches above the flower-buds 

 nearest to the base ; then, during the following summer, 

 pinch back the shoots at the base of these branches. 

 At the winter pruning suppress altogether the primitive 

 fruit-branches ; and the new branches resulting from 

 the short pinchings must be cut off in the new manner. 



The new method offers but a part of its advantages 

 in the case of older trees, on account of the too great 

 intervals between the principal branches. This may 

 be remedied in the case of trees planted in cordon, by 

 allowing a gourmand shoot to grow from the base of 

 each peach tree, and obtaining from them a second 

 series of stems, to be bent in the same manner as the 

 rest. In the case of the larger trees the inconvenience 

 will remain, but we shall obtain by the new method 

 the advantage of doing away with the nailing and 

 fastening up both in summer and winter. 



