46 CORDON TRAINING. 



time, laterals, which must be pinclied in rather closely at 

 first. Pyramidal apricots in pots look very pretty. They are 

 easily grown by continual close summer pinching-in to five 

 or six leaves. The leader, if kept under by several shorten- 

 ings in, will produce fresh shoots along it. Tliese pyramidal 

 apricots are much recommended by the great authority of 

 Mr. Rivers, and they certainly can be placed very near to 

 each other, say about two feet. If planted in borders they 

 require annual lifting and re-planting, and, of course, not so 

 much water. Apricot trees, trained spirally as half standards, 

 are very pretty and prolific. In some cases tliis is necessary, 

 in order to set the fruit near the glass. 



CHAP. XI. 



CORDON TRAINING IN PLUMS AND CHERRY TREES. 



There were plums in the gardens of Charlemagne. The 

 Heine Claude recalls the memory of the first wife of 

 Francis I. ; while the Damascus plum came back to Europe 

 among the Crusaders' baggage. Since tliese periods this 

 pleasant fruit has daily increased in favor. Nevertheless it is 

 not cultivated so much as it deserves to be. Plums are in 

 season for nearly five months, and are invaluable for kitchen 

 use. 



Everyone knows this ; but that which everyone does not 

 know is the amazing variety which exists in the present day, 

 and among them are some extremely valuable plums. 

 Amongst them are the Early Prolific (Rivers), the Jefferson, 

 now, however, becoming appreciated, and rivalling the Green 

 Gage (Reine Claude of the French), besides a number of 

 others to be found in the lists of the day. These plums can 

 be kept for some time in muslin bags, and they thus become 

 shrivelled, but luscious in flavor. It is easy, therefore, to 



