90 



PRUNING. 



J. 



After the single shoot from the bud has grown one sea 

 son, (fig. a,) it is cut down so a^ 

 to leave not over one foot, and 

 if the tree is weak not over six 

 inches, (fig. b.) As a conse- 

 quence, the buds on this remain- 

 ing portion, receiving all the 

 sap, make a vigorous growth. 

 The upper one must be convert- 

 ed into a leader, by pinching 

 ofl^ early the tips of the others, 

 beginning first with the upper ones which will be the 

 strongest, and gradually descending as the season advances 

 to the lower ones, which should be left the longest in order 

 to give them the most strength, (fig. c.) Six inches of 

 naked stem below the branches should be left, by rubbing 

 oflfall shoots below ; and if in a region liable to deep snows, 

 this space should be a foot, to prevent splitting ofi'the limbs 

 by the weight of the snow, and for which object the tree 

 should not be cut down lower than eighteen inches at the 

 close of the first season. The pruning after the second 

 year's growth, consists in cutting down again the leader for 

 a second crop of side shoots ; and these side shoots, and the 

 new lea'der, are to be treated precisely as those below were 

 treated the year before. At the same time, the last year's 

 side shoots, on the lower part, are to be 

 cut back, (the longest at the bottom so 

 as to give a pyramidal form,) in order 

 to insure the growth of the buds upon 

 them. The new side shoots thus caused, 

 are to be pinched off' so as to convert 

 them into fruit spurs, (according to the 

 process described hereafter in this chap- 

 ter,) except one shoot left on each as a 

 leader, and another, if needed, to fill up 

 the space made by the widening limbs. 

 The pyramid may now be said to have 

 been fairly formed ; and it is only re- 

 quisite to continue and prolong the same 

 process for successive years. Fig. d^ 

 represents a four-year pyramid three 



Fpur-year pyramid. 



