A YEAR'S GARDENING 



in the renovation of a tree which has got out of hand, though, of 

 course, the " oblique cordon " system can only be applied when the 

 tree is young. One of the great advantages of that method is that 

 the main leader remains a permanent thing as long as the tree en- 

 dures, while the laterals, as already explained, are renewed from 

 year to year. Still, it is quite possible, by drastic and judicious 

 cutting back, to reclaim a tree which has been allowed to run wild. 

 It is not uncommon to find that a fan-trained tree has become 

 barren in fruit-bearing wood at the body of the tree, producing fruit 

 at the extremities only. This is caused by the pruner having been 

 afraid to use the knife in such a manner as to keep the tree within 

 proper bounds, under the mistaken idea that it is a pity to cut off 

 young wood. In such a case cut back without hesitation, retaining 

 only a few good leaders. Then lift the tree and prune the roots — 

 with a fine saw or a sharp chisel if the knife is insufiicient — ^replant 

 it, and lay out the leaders equally and symmetrically, making them 

 fast to the waU by strong nails and shreds. Probably, after so ruth- 

 less a cutting back, the tree, especially if it is of a strong constitution, 

 wiU make vigorous growth during the next season, in which case 

 allow all the summer growth possible, so as to tame down its wood- 

 growing capacity. Then lay out each shoot carefully in a suitable 

 direction, thinning out afterwards, as may be necessary, and cutting 

 back the extremities firom year to year, by which means the fruit- 

 bearing wood will be kept in the body of the tree. 



FRUIT TREES NOT WALL-TRAINED 



Hitherto our attention has been confined to wall-trained fruit 

 trees, as from these are obtained the choicest and most prized fruits 

 — peaches, nectarines, apricots, greengages, etc.; but there is also 

 scope, even in a small garden, for other sorts of fruit trees, such as 

 the apple, the pear, the cherry and the plum. All these may be 

 grown in the dwarf or half-standard style, and the proper method of 

 pruning them needs a few words in this chapter. As 

 ?aTdI-Tteir *^®. *°"" °* *^^ ^^^^ ^ different from that of the waU- 

 Prunine etc. trained tree, so its method of pruning must be corre- 

 spondingly tdtered. The object of the pruning should 

 be to form a fuU, round, cup-shaped head. All unproductive wood, 

 crowded sprays and decayed branches, or any which cross each other, 

 should be cut out, £ind the open, cup-like form rigorously maintained. 

 It is possible that through neglect of timely pruning the fruit-spurs 



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