Pyramidal Training. i-j'j 



in much shorter than the lower ones to favour the development 

 of these. 



At the fourth pruning the lower branches are not cut nearly so 

 long as in the previous pruning, because they have now attained to 

 almost the desired length and sufficient vigour. The new branches 

 of the second series are left somewhat longer, and the pruner looks 

 more to the top structure, so to speak. The wisdom of well form- 

 ing the base at first will be seen at a glance. During the summer 

 following the fourth pruning, before described, attention should be 

 given to the young branches at the top of the pyramid, while the 

 side ones will also require attention. As the lower branches will have 

 attained to nearly their full length, the terminal shoot of each must 

 be prevented by pinching from a too vigorous growth. 



Fig. ^a shows the aspect of the tree at the fifth pruning, and how 

 the pruning is performed. As is well seen by glancing from B to A 

 of Fig. ja, the new growth of the lower branches is cut very short, 

 while the higher the remaining superior branches are, the longer 

 they are cut. A careful look at the figure perfectly explains all 

 this. The succeeding prunings differ nothing in principle from the 

 preceding, future development taking place principally in the middle 

 and higher parts of the tree ; and care is taken to train in the cor- 

 rect way by means of twine, and sometimes slender stakes, to guide 

 in tlje desired direction any branches that may have deviated from 

 it. Thus the pruning is carried on till the tree becomes a large 

 and perfect pyramid, the laterals being well pinched in, and in every 

 case a free terminal shoot is allowed to proceed from each, so that 

 the tree may be kept equally balanced and the sap freely conducted 

 through each branch. They may of course be cut back well every 

 year : always, however, at a likely bud to furnish a shoot for the 

 following season. 



Fig.^3 theoretically shows first, thecentralstem A to B, and its suc- 

 cessive cuttings back, i to la; secondly, the position successively oc- 

 cupied by the lower branches during the first six years, during which 

 they were successively lowered and elongated from the point C to T j 

 and thirdly, the lines from I to S show the lines of each year's pruning. 



