PRUNING TO FOIIM PYKiVMIDS. 



157 



tlio wound will be within the influence of the Bap, 

 elaborated by the leaves formed from tliat bud. If 

 cut as in Fig. 42, the wood above the bud being beyond 

 the flow of sap, usually dies, and produces a bad effect. 

 The cut in Fig. 43 is made so low as to endanger the 

 life of the bud, and effect the same bad result, as in 

 cutting too high. The true rule for cutting a bud is, 

 to make the slope reach no lower than the bottom of 

 the bud, and high enough on the side of the shoot 

 nearest the bud to clear the top of the latter. Fig. 44 

 represents the true cut. 



Fig. 42. 



An irregular form of trees growing on quince roots, 

 and resulting from overfruiting, is exliibited by Fig. 

 45. The check to wood-growth, caused by the early 

 fruitfulness of the tree, resulted in the change of most 

 of the buds to fruit-buds. When a period of rest from 

 fruiting occurred, and the tree had acquired strength 

 for further growth, this was all produced at the top 

 of the tree, and thus its balance destroyed. To 

 remedy this, the tree may be eitlier sliortened at the 

 point indicated by the long lines, or the limbs pruned 

 at the small cross lines, and the lower part kept from 

 fruiting for a year or two. Combined with summer 



