FOR PROFIT. 43 



thickly on the boughs, the fruit is very small, and you 

 will have noticed that trees from suckers are much 

 more inclined to thorn than those budded, which take 

 more of the Plum nature, and they are much more 

 liable to Aphis blight when the heads are crowded. 

 The King Pippin and Manx Codlin Apples, for 

 example, are very fruitful trees, and I know that those 

 who prune them on the spur system, and shorten all 

 the young growths, defy the inevitable canker which 

 affects these sorts. These closely pruned trees grow 

 marvellous fruit, which sells at a price that pays for 

 extra labour expended. 



I can scarcely leave the subject of pruning without 

 reference to the Kentish Cob Nut, which requires 

 more pruning than any other fruit. Our Kent men 

 use Say nor' s Sheath Knives, No. 185, for this work. 



When received from the growers, Cob trees have a 

 small head upon a steim of 12 to 15 inches, this stem 

 is intentional, so that the ground beneath the bush 

 may be the more readily kept free from weeds and be 

 dug. They are planted as received, and must be 

 allowed to grow for one year, when they should be 

 cut hard in, to make them throw out vigorous shoots 

 from the base of the head to form the future tree ; 

 this is done by annually cutting, so that the next 

 terminal shoot is made from an under bud, which in 

 course of time makes a tree formed like a washing 

 basin. I note the best shaped trees have started with 

 six to be doubled to twelve main branches, from these 

 a set of spurs or shoots are given off, on which the 

 nuts are produced, and the trees should be so managed, 

 that at the end of 100 years old they should be 15 or 

 20 feet across the top, but not higher than 5^ feet 



