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STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and consequently the trees will be long-lived. When pruned by the other 

 method, the small branches along the shoots being removed, there is only 

 a brush-like tuft of twigs at the ends of long, slender branches. As a rule, 



Fig. 3.— Peuninq by heading in. 



growth takes place from a number of weak buds near the end of the 

 branches, and the shoots thus formed transmit their own weakness to 

 those to which they give rise. The fruit being formed at the extremi- 

 ties of the pole-like and comparatively weak branches, the weight, with the 

 increased leverage, often breaks them down. The sap must pass the entire 

 length of the branches before it reaches the fruit, and the amount of plant 

 food provided will consequently be less than when upon short-branched 

 trees, with a comparatively large amount of sap wood, since the fruit buds 

 are formed on the last year's growth. When the heading-back method is 

 used, much can be done toward the thinning of the fruit, and, for that rea- 

 son, it should be delayed as long as possible in order to obtain a correct 

 idea of the condition of the buds, and thus prune judiciously. If all of 

 the buds have been destroyed, the last year's growth should be headed 

 back severely, leaving only one or two strong buds, in this way keeping the 

 trees in as compact a form as possible. If only a few scattering fruit buds 

 are alive, only the ends of the shoots should be cut back, thus leaving 



