THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. d 



These axillary frnit-lnuls may appear on certain types of wood, or those 

 on certain types of branches may be more desirable. While all stone- 

 fruits bear from axillary buds, each has a fruit-bearing habit more or 

 less peculiar to itself, "and the pruning of each must be considered 

 separately. 



THE CHERRIES. 



The sweet cherry bears most of its fruit-buds axillary on short spurs. 

 Each bud may produce from one to five or more flowers, but. if any at 

 all, only rudiinentary leaves. These spurs are always provided with a 

 terminal branch-bud which continues the growth of the spur in a 

 straight line. The rate of growth will vary according to how well the 

 trees are pruned. Spurs on poorly pruned trees may not grow over a 

 quarter of an inch, and under such conditions of growth, are inclined 

 to bear only alternate years. The tree insufficiently pruned bears so 

 many cf these spurs that during seasons when they are developing 

 fruit, they can not obtain enough food material to develop lateral fruit- 

 buds. They simply mature a terminal branch-bud Avhich unfolds the 

 following spring, and. under favorable conditions, produces new growth 

 long enough and strong enough to bear lateral fruit-buds. 



The most desirable type of sweet cherry fruit-spur is one that grows 

 at least three quarters of an inch per year. Those that grow this much 

 will produce annual crops of vigorous blossoms and large fruit. Spurs 

 mav live and produce fruit for many years, ])ut it is a question if it is 

 wise to depend upon old spurs. It is better to prune the tree enough 

 to secure each year some new groAvths from four to twelve inches long. 

 Such twigs are found in the tops of trees poorly pruned, but they can 

 only be developed throughout the entire tree by vigorous pruning both 

 in the way of thinning-out and heading-in. These new^ twigs will bear 

 a few lateral fruit-buds near the base, while those nearer the tips will be 

 branch-buds. These branch-lmds will develop into vigorous and pro- 

 ductive young fruit-spurs. If the new growths are long and produce 

 many lateral buds, it is best to reduce the number of branch-buds to 

 five or six by cutting off the tips during the dormant pruning season. 

 If many buds are left, the resulting spurs will be weak and the best 

 ones will be too far removed from the main branches of the tree. 



The sweet cherry then produces its fruit on short spurs and at the 

 base of longer one-year-old twigs. Remember that weak spurs with 

 few axillary fruit-buds are the result of insufficient pruning which 

 leaves too many branch-buds. Remember that a few new spurs should 

 be developed each year to take the place of older ones. Remember 

 that these new spurs are the result of pruning, sufficiently severe to 

 force the growth of new shoots which develop not only axillary fruit- 

 buds, but axillary branch-buds. The growth of fruiting wood 

 throughout the entire top may be encouraged by such headnig-ni and 

 thinning-out as will force new growth in the center of the tree. If we 

 neglect to watch this feature, we some day awake to the fact that all 

 of our fruit is a long way from the ground and must be gathered 

 with long ladders and at a heavy expense. 



Also remember that the sweet cherry bud produces only flowers and 

 that the fruits developed are, to a certain extent at least, dependent 

 upon foliage of the spur for elaborated food material. This means 

 that fruiting wood can not be shortened-in as a means of thinning 



