220 



TEE ART OF 



of the lower branches by giving the young shoots of the graft 

 a vertical direction, so as to transform the ordinary palmetto 

 into a chandelier-palmette. The chandelier (p. 219), is grafted 

 on its four branches (A,B,C,D). At A the scion crowned with 

 its terminal bud, has finished a direct prolongation of the old 

 branch. At B and D the scions, bearing two buds, have pro- 

 duced two branches. The upper ones have been pinched down, 

 and the lower ones form the continuation or renewal of the 

 old branches. When we want- to prove or study a variety, it 

 is grafted in this way on a tree in bearing. But instead of 

 pinching the useless shoots on the stock-branch, they are bent 

 down, and an annular incision is made to hasten the produc- 

 tion of fruit. The graft at C has missed, and to meet this a 

 shoot (e) of the old branch has been retained and trained at 

 the time of dis-branching and staking. About August a bud 

 of the new variety is to be inserted on this shoot, at the height 

 at which it is calculated the next pruning will bring down the 

 other branches. A few buds, inserted below it on the shoot, 

 will be useful in bearing fruit, while the uppermost bud will 

 furnish the shoot for continuing the branch. It is always wise 

 to double the chances of success by using several scions; if 

 the uppermost one fails we have the others to fall back on. 



When amputating the principal branches, we also prune 

 their shoots and ramifications, which are intended to bear 

 fruit, so as to obtain new wood. On the shoots which spring 

 from them it will be most convenient to graft the new variety 

 by the method of budding (see p. 139), or branch-grafting 

 under the bark (see p. 68), or with strips (see p. 86). 



When it is required to change the variety on a tree trained 

 as a pyramid (see p. 221) we begin by cutting off one-third of 

 the height of the tree ; we then cut the main branches (the 

 upper ones shorter than the lower ones), so that the stumps 

 may present a conical outline. Thus they might be left a foot 



