FRUIT -SPURS OF PEAR 



41 



series of rings (c c) . A weaker bud also de- 

 veloped, which in 1884 pushed toward c. The 

 six years' growths can be traced on this side 

 shoot, and it once made a 

 flower -bud, and a fruit set 

 at c; but the small size of 

 the scar shows that the fruit 

 never attained maturity. It 

 probably fell in very early 

 summer. It is apparent that 

 there is an alternation in the 

 fruit -bearing of the pear, as 

 in that of the apple; from 

 this we may infer that there 

 is something like an alter- 

 nation of effort, or division 

 of labor, in the successive 

 growths of many plants. 



The further history of this 

 interesting pear spur (Fig. 

 19 ) may be summarized as fol- 

 lows: 1884, the barren shoot 

 grew to e e, and made a fruit- 

 bud; 1885, pear borne and 

 carried to maturity at e, two 

 side buds developing, and also 



two weaker spurs at d and d d, giving four 

 chances of continuing the growth of the main 

 spur; 1886, the spurs d and d d remained small 

 and slender, but one of the upper branches grew 



Old spur of 

 pear. 



