Advice please on the creation of the trunk of palm
trees.

I have a cordyline developing into a fine tree - now
approximately nine feet in height. The lower leaves
are turning yellow and whilst I know that they will
die and drop off, how exactly and when should I prune
them in order to form the "pineapply" plates of the trunk?

It has just shown a huge spray of perfumed flowers on
a stem the thickness of my forearm. Like all of them that I've
seen the display shoots off at an angle. What treatment
should the stem be given when the flower dies back?

I've just come back to this group after months of illness caused by a
blood poisoning disease which stemmed from a scratch on my
leg whilst gardening. One of its side effects - or perhaps of the
medication I was prescribed? - has been faling of sight in
my right eye. It doesn't however effect my enjoyment of gardening.
In fact in a strange way, it has increased my pleasure.

John.