OBLIQUE DOUBLE ROD TRAINING.

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This is done by bending down the growth at the end of the first year, and permitting the uprights to proceed from it. On the right, after the rod has become formed the lower bud is allowed to burst, and throw up the remaining shoot.

Oblique double rod training. This is practised in

some parts of France, and is somewhat similar to the simple rod-training. The trees are four feet and four inches apart. A single limb is first grown, and when it is strong enough, is bent to the angle (a) (b), and the lowest bud at the point where it bends is allowed to make another arm, which is afterwards placed as in (c) (d). All these inclined methods of training the branches have for their object the improvement of the fruit in quality and quantity; the bend causes a stagnant flow of sap, which is favorable to that object.

Double oblique rod training. This differs from the simple method only in the fact that the branches are placed at one foot apart instead of three, and that it is composed of a single tree. Great care

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DOUBLE OBLIQUE ROD TRAINING.

should be observed that one side does not become stronger than the other.

A style of training practised by M. Lepere, near Paris, is given on page 315 as figured in the Gardeners' Chronicle for 1857, page 233.

All these styles, it will be perceived, are designed for the trellis or wall, because, in the countries where they originated the sun is not as powerful as in the United States, and by means of these helps they receive an increased amount of heat by radiation. This is not necessary here, and therefore the standard is the more favorite form of growing all fruits. The peach is not so short-lived a tree, when properly cared for, as some would have us believe; but, with the neglect which it too often receives, it soon falls a prey to disease.

Standard training. By reference to the first part of this chapter, under the head of "Pruning after transplanting," it will be found that it was recommended to cut down the yearling tree to a few inches. This is to encourage the branches to start

316

STANDARD TRAINING.

near the ground. The majority of neglected trees are broken down during the production of their fruit, by its weight on the end of very long limbs.

(a) represents the peach tree at the end of the first year, the arms having been formed, which show the skeleton of the tree. These are cut back at the winter pruning to one or two feet, according to their strength, and laterals are allowed to form and bear fruit at every bud, except that at the terminus, which is to grow. After two or three years the tree presents the appearance of (b), and is to be pruned so as to keep it within its prescribed limits, which should be less than ten feet in height.

But in many of our northern districts the peach is injured seriously by the vicissitudes of climate. In such positions it is evident that the standard tree would not succeed, nor the espalier unless covered in winter, which its size and form preclude. The fact, which has been repeatedly observed, that limbs near the ground fruit when others do not, even when there is no snow of consequence to cover them, has suggested the following diagram.

Figure 1 represents the tree after the growth of

HORIZONTAL TRAINING.

317

the first year; it having been cut down at planting The second year the limbs are drawn

to one foot.

down horizontally and tied; the branches having the appearance of a wheel laid upon its side, which, when clothed with spurs, and seen from the top, is like figure b.

But, in certain sections, even this is attended with uncertainty, and still more precaution is necessary. In such cases, the cultivator should resort to the inclined trellis. Posts about one foot in height are set in the ground

for the front of the trellis, and those for the back are two feet. Rails are then laid from post to post, and slatting across them. The tree having been planted before the trellis, is cut to about a foot in height, and at the end of the season

the arms are laid in their proper position upon the slats, the after pruning being the same as that of