HENRY LEUTHARDT NURSERY 29 

: Suggestions: 
fe To Support a Single Tree Against a Wall or in the Open 
Other than wire supports, a trellis of wooden laths 
can also be used for support. The trellis made with 
2-inch laths nailed together in the form of squares 
‘somewhat like a checker board, and painted green or 
‘| white will make a very attractive background. The 
leaders are fastened to the trellis with raffia, willow 
| or tarred twine. 
Fastening—Fan-Shaped Espaliers 
| 1. From the center or trunk of the tree, mark off 
8 feet on either side. Then drive spikes into the wall. 
Place spikes at a distance of 18 inches apart. Wire 
_ should be stretched lengthwise, passing in front of the 
__ tree branches and attached to the spikes. 

| | Care of Espalier Dwarf Trained Fruit Trees 
| PRUNING: Vertical Branched Espaliers—Apple, 
Pear, Plum, Cherry. All side shoots longer than 4 
_ inches should be cut back during the summer to 4 inches. 
But, should bearing spurs appear on a side shoot which 
_ 1s longer than 4 inches, don’t prune that shoot, but allow 
it to bear the fruit first, for it takes 3 years for a tree 
to produce a single bearing spur. This pruning should 
be done about once a month during July, August and 
_ September. 
| Should the leaders become very compact with foliage 
_ thin the side shoots out, leaving spaces between bear- 
_ ing spurs 2 or 3 inches. 
Prune the top of the main leaders in the early 
| spring or winter when the tree is dormant. Cut previ- 
| ous year’s top growth back to half its length with a 
sharp knife in a slanting position. The inner leaders 
should be kept about 6 inches shorter than the two end 
leaders. After the desired height has been attained, 
cut down to one eye each year; should they become 
too high, cut down below level of new growth, thus 
making space for future new growth. Espaliers can 
be allowed to grow almost any desired height, say from 
5 to 12 feet. The pruning of the top leaders is very 
essential for it checks the future growth of the tree. 
| PRUNING HORIZONTAL BRANCHED ESPALI- 
_ ERS—Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry. Cut back side shoots 
_ to 6 inches. As a general rule, the fruit of a Horizontal 
_ Cordon is borne on the shoots that develop along the 
_ outer sides of the leader. Therefore, if thinning out is 
necessary, do so on the shoots which grow on the top 
side of the leader. Never prune the ends of the Cordon, 
unless the tree has reached its desired length. 
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