COBNUTS AND FILBERTS. 



71 



have begun to form, again shorten such shoots to the 

 first female bloom, if there should be one on the same 

 shoot ; or, if none, then prune the shoot to the second 

 bud from its base to form a spur. Readers will then find 

 their nut bushes will be'ar more freely. (Figs. 21 and 22.) 



Trained Bushes. The Kentish system of growing Fil- 

 berts and Cobnuts is to so train the tree or bush that it 

 has a main stem ift. high, with six main branches radiat- 



Fig. 22. A TYPICAL KENTISH COBNUT BUSH. 



Observe the centre of the bush is kept open, the branches spreading well outwards. 



ing from its apex. Commencing with an established 

 sucker, all side growths are cut clean away to i8in. from 

 the base. Any lateral growths above this, including the 

 leading shoot, should be pruned back to one bud. If 

 there are no lateral growths, then shorten the main shoot 

 to i8in. The three or four buds will then in due course 

 produce the same number of shoots, of which the three 

 strongest only should be permitted to grow. Each of 

 the three shoots must be cut back the following winter 

 to the fourth bud, and the latter should be one growing 



