14 CORDON TRAINING. 



the sap away from them, so that it shall pass 

 them by, but without completely drying them up, 

 which would be a great fault. A leaf-bud or two 

 must, therefore, be suffered to extend beyond 

 any flower-bud, i.e., one properly so called. The 

 Bap having passed vigorously up the main con- 

 duits of the tree, and in the leaves having been 

 converted from sap into " proper juice," must 

 be so diverted from the flower-buds as only 

 to nourish their fertility without causing them to 

 elongate in the form of branches. Nevertheless, 

 in the case of the peach, should any bud remain 

 absolutely dormant for two seasons, it will hardly 

 ever be developed at all. 



When trees have obtained a certain size, their 

 ramifications have the effect of diminishing the 

 rapidity of the circulation of the sap ; and thus it 

 is that trees of a certain age are more productive 

 than those which are young : for the sap has so 

 many irregularly- disposed branches to supply, that 

 it cannot well stimulate any single part and pass 

 by the rest. 



By cutting your leading branches very short 

 for a number of seasons, as in the case of that 

 absurd form now happily abandoned the "pillar"' 

 or " quenouilie " the tree becomes fruitful, it is 

 true, but at the expense of size, form, and beauty. 

 In the case especially of standard trees, by peg- 

 ging down any too vigorous branch, it is com- 

 pletely checked, for the reasons stated previously ; 



