10 Jan., 1917.] 



Apple Culture in Victoria. 



35 



pruned at (a), and enabled to extend from the buds (b). All the buds 

 below those in blossom are producing leaves only. Had the cuts been 

 made at («), as described, the rush of sap to the buds marked (b) would 

 have been more rapid. This would probably not have allowed sufl&- 

 cient time for the leaf buds to develop into blossom, and wood exten- 

 sions would have been produced. 



Although the blossom buds, developed during early spring from the 

 previous year's leaf buds, usually open freely, and the principal organs 

 of the flowers are mostly apparently healthy in every respect, yet they 

 rarely set well, and the few fruits produced on them are generally bad 

 types, and of inferior quality. The most satisfactory results in this 



Plate 61. — A row of eight-year-old Jonathan trees. 



regard are obtained from the round, plump blossom buds which were 

 developed from the leaf buds of the previous year's yearling wood, on the 

 ripening two-year-old wood, during the last period of vegetation. Blos- 

 soms on their points not only give the leaders a stunted appearances but 

 in consequence their lighter extensions, which are usually near the base 

 of the fruit stalks, often strike off at an unsuitable angle. Whereas if 

 the uppermost buds are mad© to produce wood in the proper manner 

 the angle at which it should grow may be regulated to a nicety. 



Plate 61 is a view of a row of eight-ear-old Jonathan trees, showing 

 their condition aft-er the fruit was picked, and the amount of wood 

 growths produced during the current period of gi-owth. These are 

 good croppers, and the land on which they are growing is Silurian forma- 

 tion of average fertility, but when thorough cultural treatment and 

 liberal feeding of the trees are practised, the Jonathan is one of the 

 varieties which respond freely by supplying a succession of suitable 

 fruiting wood as well as in fruit production. 



(To be continued.) 



22 



