184 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



good instances of this habit. It is pretty obvious then, I think, 

 that the first act of disbudding should commence with these decoys. 

 The season being young when this operation becomes requisite, all 

 further disbudding should stand over until midsummer, when I bold 

 it absolutely necessnry to proceed in a progressive way, with the 

 other portions of the tree. 



The next point is, to go over the whole of the leading shoots, 

 and remove all over-luxuriant sprays, without exception ; leaving, 

 perhaps, a couple of leaves at the base of each spray. The amount 

 removed will in ordinary cases comprise about one-half of the 

 young spray ; this, however, depends upon the character and age of 

 the tree, for in the case of one ofd or hard-worked, I hold it essential 

 to permit a mu:-h greater amount of shade through the instrumen- 

 tality of new-made wood ; indeed close stoppiug of such trees would 

 soon destroy them altogether. 



Exceptions must, however, be again made here, as to the habits 

 of the tree in question; for in running the eye over our orchard or 

 kitchen garden fruits in general, two distinct groups will present 

 themselves ; the one bearing in the main on natural spurs, the other 

 chiefly on the young wood. These broad distinctions must of course 

 be kept in view at all times. Again, even in one family — for 

 instance the Apple — one kind will bear the finest fruit on last 

 year's wood ; and the fructification of such wood is in proportion to 

 the amount of grossness. 



An illustration of this will be found in the Manks' Codling. 

 The Nonpareil class, on the contrary, generally produces on the 

 spur. I am now, however, treating of over-luxuriance as an evil. 

 This forms the rule, and requires most elucidation. To return, 

 then, to my point of digression, the removal of all the over-luxuriant 

 spray about mid.-ummer will be found to control, in a very powerful 

 degree, the under action of the root. Some of the embryo fruit- 

 buds may be excited into wood, especially in showery weather; this, 

 however, must be borne ; for those that remain unexcited will be 

 found much strengthened, and to develop a much mere perfect 

 blossom in the ensuing spring. 



We frequently see imperfectly-formed blossoms on tender fruit 

 treeB in the spring ; and why ? because the embryo blossom-bud 

 never received its necessary amount of light during its organization. 

 It is not so much heat, of which an increased amount is requisite, 

 but light. Some good-natured country folks think this is carrying an 

 idea toofar ; rather too philosophical, theythink. The writer, however, 

 with all due re;-peet, thinks differently. Instance theMelon ; it is very 

 probable that the Persian Melons enjoy as much light in one day in 

 their own climate, as those in the murky skies of Britain do in a 

 week. To be sure a bright sunny day in our own climate is light 

 enough for anything ; but behold how many cloudy, drizzly, or rainy 

 days may be placed against such a state of weather. The tender in- 

 cipient buds of fruit trees, natives of brighter skies, become what is 

 technically termed "drawn" when smothered with young spray, 

 and hence the abortions and malformations of the succeeding spring. 

 A midsummer's disbudding will not, however, complete all that is 



