BENOVATING APPLE AND _'EAK TREES. 271 



allowed to remain than the plant is capable of support- 

 ing. In most cases six or eight shoots will be sufficient. 

 Where this method is practised, a row of raspberries in 

 autumn will have something of the appearance repre- 

 sented in fig. 131 ; the arched portion, tied to the stake 

 in the centre, being the canes which bore fruit last year, 

 and which must be cut down to the bottom, and be re- 

 placed by the upright shoots of last summer. 



In this last arrangement, five or six fruit-bearing canes 

 are tied together to one stake, and it is impossible that 

 the fruit can either ripen well or be gathered easily. The 

 two first are good and simple plans. 



Innovating pyramidal trees of Apples and Pears that 

 have become enfeebled or unproductive by age, bad soil, 

 bearing, or bad pruning. There are two methods of doing 

 this successfully ; one is, to cut back all parts of the tree 

 the stem may be cut back half its length, the lateral 

 branches at the base to within twelve or fifteen inches of 

 the stem, and shorter as they advance upwards, so that 

 those at the top will be cut to four or six inches. This 

 will preserve the pyramidal form. 



It may appear unnecessary to cut back the stem, but 

 we find when this is not done it is almost impossible to 

 Secure an equal growth between the upper and lower 

 parts, because the wood at the top is young, and attracts 

 the sap much more than the wood at the base of the old 

 branches below. For a few years after this renewal the 

 young wood at the top must be kept very closely pruned, 

 to prevent it from absorbing more than its due pro- 

 portion of the sap. When growth commences on trees 

 thus cut back, a large number of shoots will be produced. 

 Amongst those on the stem, a strong and well placed one 

 must be selected for a leader, and its growth favored by 

 checking those around it. Leaders for each of the lateral 

 branches must be selected and encouraged in the same 



