STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 65 



stock advances in growth the auxiliar}^ buds are set closer together. 

 Tf the terminal bud is not disturbed the stock may attain to eight or 

 ten feet in length. 



The auxiliaries are dormant fruit buds. But if the terminal 

 bud be removed as early as the first of June, an organic change takes 

 place, the dormant auxiliaries changing from possible fruit buds to 

 tern)inal buds. These new terminal buds shoot out from the main 

 stock as the original stock came from the crown of the plant, form- 

 ing new stocks with auxiliary buds set closer than on the original 

 stock. These new stocks are called laterals or main branches. The 

 terminal buds on the laterals may be removed in July, and a similar 

 change will take place in the plant. 



To show the value of judicious ]>runing T direct attention to the 

 original stock. Tf the hrst stock is left undisturbed during the 

 growing season, and only four stocks allowed to the plant, they may 

 average eight feet in length. Each stock will be found to contain 

 at least fifty-two possible fruit buds; the plant, two hundred and 

 eight. Allowing ten berries to the bud we have a promise of two 

 thousand and eighty berries to the plant. Allowing twelve plants 

 to a square rod, and a berry to cube three-eighths of an inch, we 

 have in round numbers one hundred bushels jier acre. 



I have made the above estimate, not to show the result in the 

 calculation, as that is not critically correct, but it is near enough to 

 show that the safe maximum yield is promised in the plant when it is 

 left to its natural form of growth. That this has not been realized 

 in plants left to their natural form of growth, is no proof against the 

 l>romise. All promises are conditional. Some of the conditions of 

 this promise the grower may meet, as training the long, h)anchJess 

 f^tocks near the ground, for protection from the winds, and to secure 

 moist atmosphere, and the training in straight rows that the ground 

 may l)e cultivated near the plant. The conditions are difficult and 

 •■xpensive. It is to secure by an economical method of reaching the 

 conditions in the promise of the plant, that we resort to summer 

 pruning. 



First Method. — When the original stock has reached the height 

 of eighteen or twenty inches, which it does about the 1st of June, 

 the terminal bud is pinched out and the organic change men- 

 tioned takes place. The auxiliary l)uds become terminal, and shoot 

 out from the main stock, forming branches. All buds that do not 

 form a branch, die. The change in the plant at this stage is verv 

 ra<lical. riie average number of branches formed on vigorous stocks 

 l)elow the height named is four. These, if not interfered with dur- 

 ing the season, may reach an average length of five feet, containing 

 800 per cent, more of possible fruit buds than the original stock if 

 left undisturbed. The ])romise, by estimating frcjui the same basis 

 as before, is now 300 bushels per acre. The plant as it stands has 

 four main stocks eighteen inches high, and sixteen branches five feet 



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