26 CORDON TRAINING. 



and at an angle of 45 degrees during the succeeding years. 

 The reason why the trees are first planted at the angle of 65 

 degrees, is that otlierwise tlie shoots on the upper side would 

 grow faster than those on the lower, and that they would in- 

 juriously compete (by their vertical position), with the growth 

 of the leading extremities, the growth of which it is sought 

 by all means to encourage. 



The position of 45 degrees, to which it is inclined as soon 

 as the leading shoot has obtained the proper pre-eminence 

 and strength, and is thus able to defend its rights — the posi- 

 tion of 45 degrees is the most favorable to obtain fruit and 

 wood above all inclinations at which any fruit tree can be 

 placed. Therefore, as soon as the leader is strong and vigor- 

 ous enough, the tree should be lowered to this angle, and, by 

 means of light guiding rods, be made to ascend, at this angle, 

 to the top of the wall. From being tied lightly, at qyqyj two 

 or three inches, to the rod, it must grow perfectly straight. 



The trees are planted at intervals of 36 inches from stem 

 to stem along the wall, as seen in the Frontispiece, where 

 they are all at the angle of 45 degrees, even the tree only iu 

 the first year ; but this was unavoidable ; that is, the trees are 

 laid in at 3 feet from each other only. My own trees are 

 planted and trained at 30 inches of interval, but this is too 

 little — 36 inches are preferable. Each tree, in the engrav- 

 ing, is represented as having either three leaders fully 

 grown, or in the case of tlie tree of the first year, it has dot- 

 ted lines indicating the future position of the other two 

 leaders. In the tree of the second year, the second leader 

 has ascended half-way up, while the first leader is completed. 

 In the case of the tree of the third year, the first and second 

 leaders being completed, the third leader is now half-way up. 

 The two trees of the fourth year have all three leaders com- 

 plete, and the complementary tree which fills up the corner 

 is shown as having its leaders fully developed. The extreme 

 corner is completed as seen by extra short leaders, and in the 

 first year's tree the corresponding corner is indicated to be 

 filled in by an upright leader with short side branches, so as 



