FIRST LESSONS IN FRUIT GROWING. 



107 



trees, and is due to the storing- up of an 

 extra supply of nourishment at that point 

 for the development of the fruit. 



The plum and cherry and also the currant 

 and gooseberry have fruit-spurs, but they are 

 quite different for those of the apple and 

 pear. Fig. 2260, shows a section of branch 

 from a common Morello, or sour cherry tree. 

 The larg-er part of the branch is five-year- 

 old wood, about two feet of the newer wood 

 having been cut off at the top. By compar- 

 ing this with the "apple branch, it will be 

 noticed that it has not the zig-zag habit of 

 growth of the apple branch. The reason 

 for this is that the fruit-buds in the cherry, 

 as also in the plum, currant and gooseberry 

 are not on the end, but are grouped near 

 the end of the spur, and have a leaf-bud in 

 the centre to extend the growth straight 

 ahead. 



The peach tree forms no fruit-spurs, al- 

 though the fruit may occasionally be found 

 on short stunted branches, which have the 

 appearance of fruit-spurs, but these are in 

 reality very short shoots which never bear 

 again. 



If a peach tree is examined when in flower 

 or fruit, it will be seen that the fruit is pro- 

 duced from the lower buds along the sides 

 of the last year's shoots. In this fruit, then, 

 the vigorous shoots of this season's growth 

 become next year's fruiting branches. 



In the case of grapes, raspberries and 

 blackberries, the fruit is borne on shoots of 

 the same season's growth, which start from 

 last year's canes. In the grape, the fruit is 

 born at two or three joints near the base of 

 the shoot, which grows several feet in length 

 and becomes next year's cane. In the rasp- 

 berries and blackberries, however, the fruit 

 is born at the ends of the shoots which die 

 with the whole cane after fruiting, and are 

 succeeded by new canes which spring from 

 the root. ' 



The quince bears fruit in a manner pecu- 

 liar to itself. It does not produce fruit- 



FiG. 2261. Apple Fruit-spur (natural size). 



(a) Large scars showing where fruit has been 



borne. 



(b) Smaller scars where blossoms have appeared 



but fruit has not set. 



(c) Strong fruit-buds which will blossom next 



spring. 



spurs, like the apple ; nor yet along the 

 sides of last year's shoots, like the peach ; 

 but it bears the fruit singly on the ends of 

 shoots three or four inches in length, of the 

 same season's growth. 



Here, then, we have quite a number of 

 ways in which Nature develops and modi- 

 fies the forms of branches to serve her pur- 

 poses in the production of fruit. How im- 

 portant, then, that the man who grows fruit 

 should study her methods, and learn how to 

 work at all times in harmony with her laws. , 



