54 



THE FRUIT -BUD 



therefore, that the peach -grower should always 

 aim to so manage his trees as to have a liberal 

 supply of new growths. 



An apricot shoot is seen in Fig. 38. It is of 

 two seasons' growth. Upon the last year's 



39. Short branching spur 

 of apricot. 



40. The three buds with 

 but a single leaf. 



growth, above a, the buds are borne singly, in 

 twos, or in threes. Normally, a bearing young 

 twig has buds in threes, as the peach has, the 

 middle one being a leaf-bud, but one or two of 

 the triplet often perishes in the struggle for ex- 

 istence. Below a there are fruit- spurs, much as 

 in the plum. These spurs in Fig. 38 are long and 

 simple, and bear several buds ; but one often 

 finds branching spurs, like Fig. 39, reminding him 



