Gardening for Amateurs 



981 



amateurs should purchase two-year-old trees, 

 as shown in Fig. 1. For Apples the fan- 

 trained form of espalier is generally con- 

 sidered to be better than the horizontal. In 

 the first winter after planting practically no 

 pruning is needed beyond cutting back the 

 stems to ensure the production of the neces- 

 sary branches, as advised in dealing with 

 bush trees. As the trees become older the 

 side shoots will increase in number ; they 

 must be shortened each summer and 

 autumn (Fig. 2). Each one is shortened to 

 five or six leaves in summer, and in winter 

 further shortened to within two buds of the 

 base. Plums are frequently pruned too 

 severely ; there is too much hard cutting 

 of vigorous shoots, particularly when the 

 trees are young. On the other hand, some 

 shortening is necessary to obtain sufficiently 

 sturdy branches. Especially is this the case 

 with the variety Victoria, the branches of 

 which are liable to snap off when heavily 

 laden with fruit. The reader should there- 

 fore at pruning time leave the shoots of Plum 

 trees an inch or two longer than advised for 

 Apples. Plums produce fruit to some extent 

 on the shoots of the previous year, so these 

 ought to be trained in when possible. 



By planting cordons one is able to grow 

 a large selection of varieties in a small space. 

 Cordon, as well as espalier trees, ought to 

 be on the English Paradise stock. The ground 

 should be well and deeply stirred (and 

 manured if the soil is poor) before planting 

 takes place. Plant when the ground is fairly 

 dry, and tread the soil firmly about the roots. 



Disbudding. This means thinning out 

 the young shoots when they are rather less 

 than an inch long. If this is not done 

 overcrowding will follow ; the shoots then 

 fail to ripen, and more or less infertile 

 trees result. These shoots are frequently 

 formed in clusters on the stem of the 

 cordon often five or six or more together. 

 Take out the weakest ; if there are six, take 

 out two or three. 



Apples subject to Canker. Canker is 

 one of the most persistent diseases that 

 attack Apple trees, and it is a great deal 

 worse in some districts than others. It is 

 generally considered that a cold, wet soil 

 is one of the chief causes ; at least, certain 

 varieties canker when growing on such 



Fig. 1. Espalier Apple, two years old 

 Prune at a. 



Fig. 2. Side shoots, or " Breastwood," on 

 older tree : Prune them at 6. 



Fig. 3. Wall Plum tree : c, Young 

 growths, d, Main branches. 



