28 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Jan., 19^ 



degrees from the vertical, is pruned to an outer bud like (/i) at a reasonable 

 distance from tiie base of the yearling growth on the two-year-old wood. 

 Should too open an angle be described by the leader, an inside bud may 

 be utilized to bring it up to the correct angle. In case the leader which 

 is being pruned inclines towards a neighbouring one in the circle, proper 

 spacing may be encouraged by cutting to a light lateral or bud on the 

 opposite side to which it leans. 



Treatment of Jonathan Laterals. 



Before the habits of the Jonathan laterals were so well known, and 

 before the pruning treatment necessary in order to obtain the best re- 

 sults from this variety was so well understood, as it is at present, fruit- 

 growers frequently pruned them too hard year after year. 



Plate 55, Figs. 1 and 2, are specimens which show the result of this 

 treatment. These were pruned short for six and five years respectively 



Plate 56. — Various types of Jonathan laterals. 



without developing a single fruit bud between the last cuts and the base 

 of the laterals. But, when allowed to go unpruned, they developed fruit 

 buds along the two-year-old wood above the last cuts. The modern 

 treatment applied to the laterals of this variety, and to others of similar 

 habit, is to allow them to go unpruned for the first year like Fig. 3. 

 During tie second year, they fruit on the terminal buds, or extend from 

 that point, like Pig. 4, and during the same period the leaf buds along 

 the yearling wood ai-e developed into fruit buds by the time it is two 

 years old. \At next pruning they are cut to about 12 to 15 inches long, 

 according to the vigour 6f the tree, to fruit buds on the two-year-old 

 wood, like Fig. 5. When the yearling laterals are exceptionally long 

 and light, they should be shorteneS back the first year, because, when 

 allowed to remain at full length, they usually build up their best fruit 

 buds near their points, and too far away from the leader. Ti shortened 



