4 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



luxuriant, and require root-pruning ; but this is not 

 understood by continental fruit-tree cultivators. 



Pyramids and bushes are the trees best adapted for 

 small gardens, and not standards such as are planted 

 in orchards. To those conversant with such matters, 

 I need only point to the very numerous instances of 

 rich garden ground entirely ruined by being shaded 

 by large spreading standard, or half-standard un pruned 

 fruit trees. Now, by cultivating pyramidal pears on 

 the quince — apples in the same form on the paradise 

 stock— the cherry as pyramids and dwarf bushes on 

 the Cerasus Mahaleb — and the plum as a pyramidal 

 tree — scarcely any ground will be shaded, and more 

 abundant crops and finer fruit will be obtained. 



THE YOUNG PYRAMID. 



If a young gardener intends to plant, and wishes 

 to train up his trees so that they will become quite 

 perfect in shape, he should select plants, one year 

 old from the bud or graft, witli single upright stems ; 

 these will, of course, have good buds down to the 

 junction of the graft with the stock. The first spring, 

 a tree of this description should be headed down, so 

 as to leave the stem about eighteen inches long. If 

 the soil be rich, from five to six and seven shoots will 

 be produced ; one of these must be made the leader, 

 and if not inclined to be quite perpendicular, it must 

 be fastened to a stake. As soon, in summer, as the 

 leading shoot is ten inches long, its end must be 

 pinched off ; and if it pushes forth two or more shoots, 

 pinch off all but one to three leaves, leaving the top- 

 most for a leader. The side shoots will, in most cases 



