96 



one shoot on the undermost side, placed about mid- 

 way between the other two. All the other shoots 

 must be pinched olF in their infant state. The tree 

 will then assume, at the end of the third year, the 

 appearance shown in fig. 10. From this time it may 

 be allowed to bear what crop of fruit the gardener 

 thinks it able to carry ; in determining which he 

 ought never to overrate the vigour of the tree. All 

 of these shoots, except the leading ones, must at the 

 proper season be shortened, but to what length, must 

 be left entirely to the judgment of the gardener ; it, of 

 course, depending upon the vigour of the tree. In 

 shortening the shoot, care should be taken to cut 

 back to a bud that will produce a shoot for the fol- 

 lowing year. Cut close to the bud, so that the 

 wound may heal the following season. The follow- 

 ing season, each shoot at the extremities of the leading 

 branches should produce, besides the leading shoot, 

 one on the upper and two on the under part, more or 

 less, according to the vigour of the tree ; whilst each 



Fig. 10. — Fan-training ; third stage 



