PYRAMIDAL APPLE TREES. 



65 



through the outer and inner bark, and alburnum, or 

 first layer of wood ; and if the shoot or stem be young 

 — say from two to four inches in girth — it may be cut 

 round half its circumference. If this be done in spring 

 ■ or summer, the following season a shoot will generally 

 make its appearance ; sometimes even the first season, 

 if the stem or branch be notched early in spring. This 

 method of producing shoots from dormant buds may 

 be applied with advantage to all kinds of fruit trees, 

 except the peach and nectarine, which are not often 

 inclined to break from a dormant bud. 



Varieties of apples inclined to be compact and close 

 in their growth form very handsome pyramids ; but 

 they are apt to be unfruitful, as air enough is not ad- 

 mitted to the interior of the tree. This may be easily 

 avoided, by bringing the lateral shoots down to a hori- 

 zontal position for a year or two, and fastening the 

 end of each shoot to a stake; an open pyramidal shape 

 will thus be attained, which the tree will keep. Other 

 varieties put forth their laterals horizontally, and some 

 are even pendulous. The leading perpendicular shoot 

 of varieties of this description must be supported by a 

 stake till the tree is of mature age. Iron rods, about 

 the size of small curtain-rods, are the most eligible : 

 these, if painted with coal-tar and lime, sifted and 

 mixed with it to the consistence of very thick paint, 

 put on boiling hot, will last a great many years. 



Apple trees in confined gardens near large towns 

 are often infested with "American blight," aphis 

 lanicferq : this makes its appearance on the trees gen- 

 erally towards the middle of summer, like patches of 

 cotton wool. There are many remedies given for 



