40 THE FRUIT -SPUR 



standing at 3. The other branchlet thrived, and 

 eventually bore apples at 4, 5, 6 and 7. 



We have found that these fruit -spurs bear only 

 every other year; then, if this branch has borne 

 six apples, it must be twelve years old. The 

 truth is that it is about twenty years old, for 

 some years it failed to bear; but the age cannot 

 be traced in the picture, although it could be 

 made out from the branch itself. 



THE FRUIT-SPUR AS ILLUSTRATED BY 

 THE PEAR 



An old fruit -spur of a pear tree is shown in Fig. 

 19. One year it grew from the base to a, and 

 there formed a fruit -bud. Let us suppose that 

 this year was 1880. In 1881, a pear matured from 

 this bud, as may be seen by the large scar at a. 

 In this year, also, a lateral bud developed. In 

 1882, this bud gave rise to a shoot. The "rings" 

 whence it started are plainly seen at a a. It is 

 noticeable, also, that the spur ceased to grow in 

 the direction a. In this year, 1882, the shoot 

 grew to the rings b b, and there developed a fruit- 

 bud. In 1883, this fruit -bud opened and pro- 

 duced flowers, one of which bore fruit, as shown 

 by the large scar (bj. The short growth from 

 b b to b is that which took place in the elongation 

 from the bud in this spring of 1883. While this 

 fruit was developing, a leaf -spur pushed out from 

 just below the fruit (bj, and grew to the next 



