Chap. XXIV.] FRUIT CULTURE. 433 



second stage of branches, which is the next operation, a shoot must be taken 

 from arm No. 2, and, after being carried up as far as the second wire, be bent 

 down and fixed horizontally. From this third branch, by repeating the opera- 

 tions of the stage below, a fourth leading branch is formed, and the second stage 

 is then complete. As regards the upper or third stage, it may either be formed 

 in the same or in a slightly-different manner from the first and second, and in the 

 sixth year the extremities of the two lower branches will require to be drawn up, 

 and either grafted by approach or otherwise attached to the two uppermost. If the 

 tree push forth very vigorously at first, its two leading shoots may be allowed to 

 grow in an upright direction in the same year, and afterwards be attached 

 horizontally to the wire. 



Respecting the cultivation of columnar-pyramidal trees — a form to be preferred 

 where, on account of the corn-crops, much shade is undesirable — a good plan is 

 to put in sti'ong, healthy plants two years from the graft, and the first operation 

 will consist in pruning away all side-branches above the union of scion and stock. 

 Incisions are afterwards made above the eyes, with a view to cause them to break 

 out strongly, and in the following spring, the lateral shoots thus developed must 



Section. of Railway-embankment and Terraces for Fruit-trees. 



be cut short back. During the second year, the same mode of proceeding as 

 regards incisions and cutting back of side-shoots (to about one mch m length) 

 should be continued, and the point of the main stem will require to be tomewhat 

 shortened Later on, as the tree shoots upwards— and it wdl, if permitted, attain 

 a height of fifteen, twenty, and even twenty-five feet— the topmost lateral 

 branches must be pinched, whilst the lower ones are regularly cut back and not 

 allowed to extend beyond one foot from the main stem. If incisions have been 

 made in the latter as above directed, and successive prunings properly attended 

 to the tree will be clothed from summit to base with short fruitmg-branches, and 

 in'five to seven years from the time of planting will begin to yield. 



When it is proposed to utilise the slopes and embankments of railways lor 

 fruit-c^rowin^ the system of planting the trees, whether espalier or free-growing, 

 on teixaces s^me two or three feet in width, will be found in many cases a very 

 advantageous one; and not only Apples and Pears, but Cherries Plums 

 Gooseberries, Currents, Strawberries, Filberts, Walnuts and other kinds of 

 fruit and wood suitable to the locality, may also be successfully cultivated. 



On some of the State railways of Sweden the plan is found to work well of 



