184 THE PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING 



pated. Theoretically, the proper time is just as 

 growth begins to cease, which, in the North, is 

 in early summer The shoot in Fig. 12 (Stark 

 apple) was cut back in winter, and the follow- 

 ing season the fruit -bud a was formed. This 

 was a comparatively weak shoot on the lower 

 part of the tree. Had it been a strong termi- 

 nal twig, the bud a would probably have pro- 

 duced a long shoot. The injury to the shoot 3 

 in Fig. 61 (at e) occurred about midsummer. 

 The two lateral buds received an extra food 

 supply and gave rise to late -season branchlets. 

 The parts became greatly thickened, but only 

 leaf -buds formed. It is probably correct to say 

 that heading -in and pinching exert more marked 

 effects, in inducing fruit -bearing, in subsequent 

 years and in proportion to the persistency with 

 which they are practiced, than in the very year 

 of the operation. 



Before we can suggest perfectly rational treat- 

 ment to produce fruit -buds, we must know at 

 what period in the formation of the winter 

 bud the differentiation between the leaf -bud 

 and the blossom- bud takes place. This question 

 cannot be answered with our present knowledge. 

 In its very earliest stages, it is probable that 

 the winter bud is undifferentiated ; but its 

 character is probably determined before it be- 

 comes conspicuous on the branch. At all events, 

 it seems to be settled, as a matter of practice, 



