OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 83 



THESE REASONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. 



He says further, in speaking of his profitable cordon fruit gar- 

 den (See cut above) : "The walls surrounding the illustration of 

 the profitable garden, show clearly the leading features of this sys- 

 tem. Single cordon trees with a quantity of fruit spurs already on 

 them should be procured of apples on Paradise stock and pears on 

 the quince. These should be planted at an angle of 40 degrees to 

 50 degrees, according to the height of the wall, about 16 to 18 inches 

 apart from one another. IN NO CASE SHOULD THEY BE 

 PLANTED AT A GREATER DISTANCE, as the roots would have 

 too much room for development and would cause the trees to run to 

 growth instead of forming fruit spurs. I find it more convenient to 

 stretch horizontal wires along the walls at about every foot instead 

 of tying in the trees with nails in the old-fashioned way, taking care 

 to keep the wire three inches away from the wall, so that the spur at 

 the back of the stem of the cordon may have room to develop. Fruit 

 growers who are not the happy possessors of walls need have no dif- 

 ficulty in growing large fruit without this expensive adjunct, for 

 with the cordon system on wires magnificent apples and pears may 

 easily be grown. 



The lines of wire are made fast to terminal pillars, five to seven 

 feet high at each end with intermediate pillars at every ten or fifteen 

 feet, the whole being tightened by means of raidisseurs or stiffeners. 

 The pillars may be made of wood or iron. If the former, they should 

 be made like an inverted cross and tarred or painted to preserve 

 them. Iron, owing to its lasting properties, is really the cheapest in 

 the end. All my pillars formerly were of wood, but have now been 

 entirely replaced by iron work. After much thought to the subject. 

 I have adopted the system here illustrated, which for rigidity cannot 

 be beaten (See cut No. 27). When convenient the rows of cordons 

 should be placed north and south, so that the sun may ripen the fruit 

 on both sides of the trees. 



The Horizontal Cordons Are usually planted as an edging to 

 garden paths, and in this way they make very handsome objects and 

 occupy very little space. Double horizontal cordons occasionally be- 

 come unequal in strength, hence I always recommend single cordons, 

 planted to follow one another in one direction. A line of wire should 

 be stretched 15 or 18 inches above ground. The cordons should then 

 be planted (apples in preference) at every six or eight feet, and then 



