lo jMav, 1910.] Orchard Studies. 321 



ORCHARD STUDIES. 



II.— THE LATERALS OF APPLE TREES. 



E. E. Pescoit. Principal, School of Horficiilture, Burnley. 



The question of lateral management is often one of great concern to 

 .apple growers, and the resultant tree and its generous crop depends entirely 

 upon the treatment that the tree laterals receive. In tree-building, there- 

 fore, the studv of laterals is of the utmost importance. 



First of all, the definition of a lateral must be decided upon. To 

 serve the purpose of the pre.sent study, the wood of apple trees above 

 the trunk may .roughly be classified into two classes, viz., leaders and 

 laterals. The leaders comprise the wood that forms the framework of 

 ■the tree, and thev terminate at the growing points. At various intervals 

 along the leaders, buds a,re placed, and these buds break out into growth, 

 forming much weaker growths than the leading points, and also growing 

 at varying angles from the leaders. Sometimes these buds develop into 

 short fruiting spurs attached immediately to the leaders, but more often 

 they continue their growth until they are some inches, and even feet, in 

 length. These are the laterals, and these are the growths that should 

 carry the crop of the tree. There are very few varieties of apple trees 

 which ca.rry their fruit spurs directly on the leaders ; the majority in 

 general cultivation produce the fruiting spurs on the laterals, and these 

 therefore are a valuable consideration. 



According to the situation of the lateral on the tree, so is its vigour 

 determined ; the nearer to the termination of the leader, the .stronger 

 l)ecomes the lateral. Laterals in this position often show a desire to become 

 a leader, .so strong does their growth occur. Strong laterals .should never 

 be encouraged on the tree, as the fruiting wood requires to be fairly weak in 

 ■development and in character. All strong growing laterals, therefore, 

 particularlv those near the top of a leader, and which often show an 

 ambition to become a leader where one is not required, may be suppressed 

 or removed altogether. 



Where the lateral growth is very generous, and where thus an excess 

 occurs, the superfluous ones may be removed. But it should not be for- 

 gotten, that when once a lateral is removed, it can rarel\ be replaced. 

 Apple trees do not always possess dormant buds at the base of the laterals ; 

 and should the lateral be cut out it cannot always be replaced by another 

 lateral, or by fruit spurs. Even should the trees possess the power to 

 spur nt the base of every lateral after its removal, it is an open question 

 as to whether this is an eminently desirable attribute. Suppose these 

 spurs were heavily laden with fruit, and, owing to either the weight of 

 the fruit, or to careless picking, the fruiting spurs were broken off, that 

 portion of the tree would become permanently barren. But such a possi- 

 bility is far less likely to happen when the laterals remain. 



Assuming then that the trees have a fair amount of weak, angular 

 -or pendant laterals, it may be confidently accepted that these will ultimately 

 bear the requisite crop of fruit. There is no necessity to shorten back 

 these laterals in their early growths. They may be rigorously left alone 

 ■until thev have borne their first fruits. Thev will generally do this towards 



