242 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



CHAPTER IV. 

 Training Fruit Trees. 



THE proper training of a fruit tree from its earliest infancy 

 to its mature condition is an operation of the greatest 

 importance. The future success of the tree or bush, 

 indeed, depends mainly on the way it is trained from the 

 earliest stage of its existence. Once neglect to lay a 

 proper foundation, and the subsequent results will prove 

 most unsatisfactory. Hence it is essential, in a practical 

 work of this kind, that we should deal with the general 

 principles of the art of training, so that the reader may 

 go the right way to work to obtain a well-balanced, sym- 

 metrical tree or bush. We will therefore proceed to 

 describe the usual methods of training the various shapes 

 of trees in general cultivation. 



Cordons. This form of training is applicable to Apples, 

 Pears, Plums, Cherries, Gooseberries, and Red and 

 White Currants. Three kinds of training are practised 

 the single, double, and the horizontal. 



The single, or ordinary form, consists of a main stem 

 without side branches, but furnished with fruiting spurs. 

 Commencing with a maiden tree .grafted in spring, this 

 is allowed to produce a single main shoot the first season ; 

 it is then, in winter, pruned back about half-way. The 

 second season a leading shoot forms at the apex, and this 

 is permitted to grow, any side growths forming being 

 shortened to the third leaf. The new young main shoot 

 may have its point pinched oif about June, and this will 

 induce a second young growth to form, which allow to 

 grow. In winter shorten the main shoot half-way. The 

 third year again allow one young shoot to grow at the 

 apex, and all lateral or side growths shorten to the third 



