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training, or the kind of tree to be pruned, may be. Thus, when 

 pruning, cut off all dead wood ; also one of any two branches which 

 may happen to cross and rub against each other, thus chafing the 

 bark and injuring the limb. Suppress water shoots and suckers. 

 When cutting to a bud do not leave a stump above the bud ; but on 

 the other hand do not cut the wood off too close to that bud. When 

 compelled to remove large limbs, pare off the wound with a sharp 

 knife, and cover the wound with some dressing, such as already recom- 

 mended in the previous chapter on pruning, or even with clay, 

 which, while preventing the air and the dampness from drying and 

 rotting the wood, will not prevent the young bark overgrowing the 

 wound and gradually healing it. Before cutting a limb off try to 

 see what the result of your action is likely to be a few years hence, 

 and thus save at an early stage the possible necessity of having to 

 cut large limbs at some future period. 



Should it be found necessary to cut a large limb, saw it a short 

 distance fromthe bottom first. Then saw down from above, and 

 the limb can be removed without fear of splitting off below. Never 

 cut a branch without having a reason for doing so. Under the 

 climatic conditions which prevail here, it is better to err on the side 

 of cutting hard back, so as to keep the tree low, than on the side of 

 sparing the tree the first years of its growth, and letting it run up a 

 high stem, topped with long, lanky branches. 



SYSTEMS OF TRAINING AND SHAPING FRUIT TREES. 

 Climatic conditions to a great extent influence the methods of 

 training trees. Thus in colder climates they are often trained 

 Gordon fashion, or in Espaliers. Then again the Pyramid shape 

 was for a long time a favourite in warmer climates, until the Lou- 

 Standard or Vase system supplanted it. 



1. Cordons, which are either vertical or horizontal or oblique. 

 Trees trained as horizontal cordons, have their stems bent at right 

 angles and fastened to a wire. These cordons are either single, as 



Horizontal Cordon. 



shown in the fig., or double, i.e., with a branch on each side. 

 Although this method of training trees is sometimes employed for 

 apple and pear trees, it is better adapted for vines, and as it is 

 absolutely unsuited for this climate I shall dispense with describing 

 the method of thus shaping trees, as well also as the formation. 



