strong fruit-beating wood for the following season. The practice also 

 enables the cultivator to distribute the bearing wood more regularly and 

 to fill up vacant spaces readily. It should not be forgotten by the 

 operator that he is pruning both for the present and future. As a rule, 

 the wood should be shortened back according to its strength, short if 

 weak, and longer if strong, or say from five to nine inches. Sometimes 

 A r ery short shoots are produced lower down upon the branch than the 

 main ones, which have several flower buds and a terminal wood bud. 

 These shoots do not require to be cut back, and they often produce tile 

 finest fruit. 



The illustrations will materially assist in showing the effects of pruning. 

 Figure 1 shows an ordinary shoot of the previous season's growth, and 

 how it should be treated. Figure 2 A shoot properly pruned, with 

 young one for next season springing from near the base. The following 

 winter the parent shoot may be cut back to the base of the younger one. 

 Figure 3 Showing the growth of double shoots, one or both of which 

 may be retained, according to circumstances. Figure 4 shows the 

 probable form of growth No. J will make if left unpruned. Figure 5 

 shows an over vigorous shoot with wood buds only. Figure shows a 

 short lower shoot or spur. 



S"'nimer Priming. Disbudding, or summer pruning, may be practised 

 with great advantage, arid more especially in the case of young trees. 

 This practice conserves the energies of the trees, facilitates the ripening 

 of the young wood, and lessens the work of winter pruning. Summer 

 pruning is effected in the first place by rubbing off surplus snoots before 

 growth has made much headway. Care must, however, be taken not to 

 remove too many shoots, as a good supply of foliage is wanted for shade, 

 and is also essential to healthy root action. As growth advances, if 

 necessary, the shoots may be again reduced in number, taking care to 

 distribute the foliage regularly so that it will afford an effective shade. 

 Shoots that make an over strong growth, say when fifteen or sixteen 

 inches in length, should be stopped by pinching off the points with the 

 thumb and finger. This practice will, generally be an effective check to 

 excessive growth, but sometimes these branches will again make an over 

 luxuriant growth from the new shoots they put forth. When it will be 

 necessary to pinch back again they are eight or nine inches long. Some- 

 times shoots show soon after growth commences by their strength and 

 vigour that they are likely to be unfruitful, or what the French term 

 gourmand branches, and these should be pinched back short as soon as 

 their character has been ascertained. This will probably induce the 

 formation of two fruitful branches in place of the old one. Sometimes it 

 will be advisable to pinch back shoots though they may not be over 

 luxuriant in order to equalize growth in the case of young trees, or to 

 induce the formation of branches to fill up vacancies. 



Root Pruning. Root pruning is not often required, but when, owing 

 to a very rich soil or other local circumstances, trees are making an over 

 growth of wood and producing but little fruit, it may be practised with 

 advantage. 



Heading Old Trees.- When it-cos luive been ;)llo\vi'd to OTOW 



