27 



with the New Flemish pears ourselves, for sixteen 

 years ; and we must say that it is always attended with 

 the best of success, providing due attention be given 

 to those preparatory steps, as well as subsequent pro- 

 cesses, which become essential. 



In applying this mode to the apple, a strong stemmed 

 and clean young tree, of about two or three years from 

 the graft, should be selected. When established, it 

 should be headed down to the height of four feet 

 maximum ; this will cause it to develop four or five 

 shoots of a long and straight character. These, then, 

 will commence the formation of the future principal 

 down branches of the tree. They must be bent down 

 by some means before the month of April ; some load 

 them with balls of clay ; some tie them down by driving 

 a hooked stick in the ground, and attaching them by 

 a string. In the course of the succeeding summer, the 

 sap being partially intercepted from these pendulous 

 shoots, more shoots will be produced from the crown ; 

 what are wanted of these must be reserved to undergo 

 down training in the next spring ; the rest, of course, 

 must be stopped in due time. And thus the tree is 

 completed, the downward shoots describing a circle 

 at their extremities of some three to four feet from 

 the main stem on all sides. 



We have now discussed all the modes at present 

 known, as applicable- to the apple ; but it must be 

 borne in mind, that no system of deepening soils, or 



