FRUIT -BEARING OF PEAR 43 



and dormant buds still remain on the old wood 

 near its base. 



The struggle for existence in an old pear spur 

 is still further illustrated in Fig. 20. On five of 

 the strongest and upturned branchlets there are 

 fruit-buds. Some of the branchlets terminate in 

 the small and pointed leaf -buds, and some are 

 dead. If the reader has become expert in read- 

 ing the histories of twigs, he may find in this 

 picture the records of ten efforts at the bearing 

 of pears. 



Another pear twig is drawn in Fig. 21. In 

 1895, a pear was borne at a, and in that year 

 two side buds were developed (as they have 

 formed in Figs. 13 and 14). In 1896, these two 

 buds gave rise to branches or spurs, each of 

 which developed a fruit-bud at its end, & c. It 

 was on the 17th of April, 1897, that the picture 

 was made. Three weeks later all the buds had 

 burst (Fig. 22). Buds 6, c, d, e, produced flow- 

 ers, and / made only a feeble effort at leaves. 

 That is, all but one of the buds are fruit-buds. 

 In July, however, the branch looked like Fig. 23. 

 Although several flowers had been produced by 

 each of the four fruit -buds, only one flower in 

 the bud b and another in c persisted and set fruit. 



Another twig upon this same pear tree was 

 drawn (Fig. 24) upon the 17th of April, 1897. 

 There are three thick, rounded buds which are 

 evidently fruit -buds. They terminate spurs which 



