84 



FRUIT TREES. 



At the second pruning cut off each of the branches to 

 16 inches from their base, above two buds growing 

 laterally, so as to make each of the branches fork ; 

 lower the branches a little, and dispose them regularly- 

 round the circumference of the stem by means of a 

 hoop. During the summer equalise the vigour between 

 the ten shoots that have now been obtained. At the 

 third pruning, cut back each of the ten shoots to 12 

 inches from their base, to make them fork a second time. 

 Incline the branches again, and equalise the spaces 

 between them by means of two hoops, the uppermost 

 being the larger. Treat the twenty shoots that have 

 grown during the summer in the same manner as the 

 previous ones. At the fourth pruning, suppress only 

 the third of the length of the new branches, and again 

 incline them downwards to an angle of about twenty 

 degrees, then raise the ends of the branches in a ver- 

 tical position at about three feet from the stem, and 

 keep them in that position by means of additional 

 hoops. During the summer allow only one terminal 

 bud to develop. When the time arrives for the fifth 

 operation, cross the branches at the place of their 

 second forking, directing them alternately right and 

 left, inclined to an angle of thirty degrees. Figure 78 

 shows the plan of a pear tree trained in this form, and 

 how the branches should be crossed. The new exten- 

 sions obtained during the previous summer must be 

 left entire, and so on from year to year, until the tree 

 has attained its proper size. The inclined position of 

 the branches will cause them to put forth numerouB 

 shoots, each of which must be trained in a spiral direc- 



