ON FRUIT CULTURE. 



979 



Fig. 637. — Apple Lane's Prince Albert. 



The pyramid-formed tree can scarcely be termed a profitable 



one by its greatest admirers, for though such trees bear a fair 



amount of fruit, yet the pruning and restriction requisite to keep 



them in correct form 

 prevent a heavy crop. 

 However, in some 

 gardens the pyramid is 

 planted and trained as 

 much for ornament as 

 for its fruit, and in 

 training the cultivator 

 should aim at a straight, 

 upright, central stem, on 

 which the branches 

 taper upwards from a 

 broad base to a fine 

 point, the whole tree 

 being rounded and of 

 similar dimensions on 

 each side. Any con- 

 gestion of wood is best 

 removed in summer 

 or autumn, as one can 



then see where the growth is too thick. In fact, with bush, 



pyramid, or any other trained Apple-trees, most of the pruning 



may with advantage be 



done at the end of July ||m — : 



or early in August, cutting 



away all useless shoots to 



within about three or four 



eyes of their base, and, 



in the case of leading or 



other shoots required to 



fill up blank spaces or 



form the tree, permitting 



them to go on unchecked. 



In the autumn — say in 



October — the spurs left at 



the summer pruning may 



with advantage be cut back 



to two eyes ; or, if they 



are very crowded, a few 



could be cut out entirely, 



giving more light and 



space to those remaining. 



In gardens bush- or pyramid-trees are usually planted round 

 the margins of the vegetable quarters and' near the gravel walks. 

 The distance between the trees may range from 8ft. to 15ft., and 



3 r 2 



Fig. 638. — Apple Peasgood's Nonsuch. 



