JO Mav. miT.J Apple Culture in Victoria. 283 



different position, but similarly marked in Plate 80, blossomed at (g), 

 the then terminal bud, no fruit was developed. This enabled the 

 growtii to produce six short pieces of wood on the prematurely formed 

 fruit knob, each of which is similar in character to the single ones marked 

 (j) on tlie fruited parts. Although these short growths appear fruitful 

 they were, during the currency of the period of growth, unable to ripen 

 their wood, and consequently are of a character which it is undesirable 

 to retain as fruit-wood. 



During the early si>ring after the upi>ermost yearling growth was 

 Winter pruned at (d) the then leaf bud (k) partly developed into a fruit 

 bud. However, when the soft young wood, produced during the cur- 

 rency of the period of growth above it. was cut at (e), (k) extended into 

 wood growth, blossomed on the terminal, and fruited simultaneously 

 with the other growths of like age, but growing on younger wood. 



As a result of this Summer treatment of the section, the three 

 natural fruit buds (f) did not burst into flower, but the portions of 

 wood, which connect them with the parent two-year-old wood of the 

 leader and laterals respectively, became somewhat more lengthened than 

 is the case under ordinary conditions. Instead of remaining in the 

 condition of a partly doiinant leaf bud as usually happens in the case 

 of those .similarly placed on the yearling wood of the Jonathan, (h) has, 

 through the (e) cut, been developed into a weak fruit bud which would 

 probably open into bloom the following Spring. But fruit rarely sets 

 on blooms of this character, particularly when they are situated too near 

 the base of the yearling growth. The short growth (i) on the lowest 

 lateral, was unable to make blossom and fruit like the corresponding 

 growths on the other laterals, neither did it build up a blossom bud 

 on its point for the succeeding year like the two-year-old buds (f). This 

 is usually the work of the second year for late maturing growths. 



Since fruit-growers and pruning experts here have become cognisant 

 of the injury which may attend the growth of the trees, and the con- 

 sequent limitation of their productiveness, often through the careless 

 performance of the operation, but more frequently owing to the opera- 

 tor's imperfect knowledge of the practice, Summer pruning is now re- 

 stricted to the narrowest limits, even in districts where it was hitherto 

 most extensively practised. 



The specimen, which forms the subject of illustration now under re- 

 view, was experimented with to show the possibility of causing a tree 

 or section of it to prematurely produce its fruit, and from the experi- 

 mentalist's point of view the results have been highly satisfactory. But, 

 if all the trees in the orchard had been treated, year after year, like 

 the ones operated upon, and had they responded similarly, which in all 

 probability they would have done, it would mean absolute disaster to 

 the orchardist. 



With the detailed explanation given when treating of the Winter 

 pruning of Jonathan laterals, the method of building up their fruit 

 bud3 on the two-year-old wood will be understood. Consequently, it 

 will be observed that, if the growths made from (d), where pruned in 

 July, 1914, had been retained whole, instead of their having been cut 

 at (e) on the 10th December of the same year, they would have ripened 

 their yearling wood during the 1914-15 period of vegetation. During 

 the 1915-16 period of growth their leaf buds would have been converted 

 into fruit buds. Under normal conditions these fruit buds would be in 

 full bloom on the 10th October, 1916. This is the date registered for 



