r of a tree, subject to pruning, depends, in a great measure,
upon the equal distribution of sap in all its branches.

2. The sap acts with greater force, and produces more vigorous growth on
a branch pruned short than on one pruned long.

3. The sap, tending always to the extremities, causes the terminal
shoots to push with more vigor than the laterals.

4. The more the sap is obstructed in its circulation, the more likely it
will be to produce fruit-buds.

5. The leaves serve to prepare the sap for the nourishment of the tree,
and to aid in the formation of fruit-buds. Therefore, trees deprived of
their foliage are liable to perish, and they are injured in proportion
to their defoliation.

6. When the buds of any shoot or branch do not develop before the age of
two years, they can only be forced into activity by very close pruning;
and this will often fail, especially in the peach.

Observe the foregoing, and never cut large limbs from any tree, except
in grafting an old tree (and then only graft a part of the top in one
year, especially in the pear), and of old, neglected peach-trees, to
renew the top, and any careful cultivator can raise an orchard of
healthy, beautiful, and profitable trees. There are different forms of
training that have gone the rounds of the fruit-books, that are nearly
all more fanciful than useful. There are four forms of fan-training, and
several of horizontal and conical. The following only are useful:--

_Fan-Training._--A tree but one year from the graft, or bud, is planted
and headed down to within four buds of the ground, the buds so situated
as to throw out two shoots on each side (see fan-training, first stage).

[Illustration: Fan-training, 1st stage.]

[Illustration: Fan-training, 2d stage.]

[Illustration: Fan-training, 3d stage.]

[Illustration: Fan-training, Complete.]

The following season, the two upper shoots are to be cut back to three
buds, so as throw out one leading shoot, and one shoot on each side. The
two lower shoots are to be cut back to two buds, so as to throw out one
leading shoot, and one shoot on the upper side. In this second stage,
you will have a tree with five leading shoots on each side (see cut,
fan-training, 2d stage). These shoots form the future tree, and should
neither be shortened in, nor allowed to bear fruit this year.

Each shoot should now be allowed to produce three shoots, one leading
one, and two others on the upper side, one near t