62 CORDON TRAINING. 



grow freely so much the better; merely pinch them 

 back, according to their vigour, and if laterals 

 grow on these, pinch these to two buds each. 

 The object in view is to obtain a fruitful pyramid 

 in a vertical position, and the pinching is only 

 to obtain this ; but as the top grows very freely, it 

 must also be kept under, and occasionally pinched 

 back, according to the vigour of the tree. In this 

 case the amateur will soon know how to proceed. 

 If the Vertical Cordon, however, be destined 

 as a reserve for banks in the Diagonal Cordons 

 (and this must be kept in view), then pinch all 

 the shoots pretty equally; but if the lower ones 

 are inclined to become single shoots, then this must 

 not be allowed to be. Endeavour to have these 

 reserve trees regularly supplied with spurs, and 

 two shoots on each; and if a tree obstinately 

 refuse to come to this shape, it had better be 

 rejected as time and patience wasted. 



The vertical pyramids must not exceed the 

 diameter of the pot they are to fill (generally a 

 thirteen-inch pot), at their base. 



If you plant the Vertical Cordon against pil- 

 lars in the Orchard-house, it need not be pyra- 

 midal of course, and this is another use for 

 the potted vertical cordons to supply. Against 

 pillars, with their ends trained up the rafters or 

 sideways, my own trees are splendid, and they 

 are an amusing variety, because you may develop a 

 second stem before and another behind each pillar, 



