394 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURiE 



bud. The lateral buds formed on one-year-old shoots of young trees usually 

 produce new shoots or remain dormant, resulting in the development of a 

 comparatively large number of shoots. Thus the young trees are usually 

 thick, compact, and strongly vegetative. This type of growth may be pro- 

 duced from the lateral buds for several years, and bearing is correspondingly 



Figure 36. When sour cherries produce suflScient growth to 

 permit the development of lateral fruit buds, lateral branches and 

 spurs, a desirable fruiting condition like that shown on the left is 

 obtained. When the growth is short as shown on the right, the 

 lateral buds are practically aU blossom buds and there is little 

 opportunity for twig and spur development. 



delaj'^ed unless the trees are carefully handled. As the trees reach bearing 

 age, however, some of the lateral buds develop into fruiting spurs and fewer 

 of them develop into shoots. Frequently this proceeds to the extent that in old 

 bearing trees practically all of the lateral buds develop into fruit spurs or remain 

 dormant, and few, if any, develop into shoots. Thus, only the terminal bud 

 of a last-year's branch produces vegetative growth, and the result may be a 



