134 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



branches will become enfeebled by continued bearing, and also too long for their places ; 

 therefore, it is not only necessary to provide a succession of bearing wood, but to 

 encourage vigorous growth by cutting away weak branches after fruiting. The Morello 

 cherry produces a greater number of young shoots than should be retained. Cultivators 

 ought to prevent the redundancy by disbudding, and no shoots should be allowed to 

 extend nearer to each other than from 4 to 6 inches. These summer shoots should be 

 laid in their full length, securing them with matting, shreds, and nails, or small twigs 

 placed across the shoots, the ends of the twigs being thrust under the branches. In all 

 cases prevent damage to the shoots by leaving room for them to grow in the ligature. 

 These shoots, as a rule, should not be shortened till the winter pruning; in most cases it 

 is best to leave them entire, and if shortened it must be to a wood bud. Some shoots 

 have a tendency to grossness in summer and divert the sap from the weaker. This 

 must be prevented by judicious curtailment. 



Disbudding and Stopping. Though the Morello produces the finest and most fruit on 

 the young wood of the previous year, it bears good fruit on spurs, these seldom being 

 absent on the branches and sub-branches, and when the bearing growths become 

 elongated the spurs are very useful for originating new growths. The branches should 

 be 9 to 12 inches apart, and the bearing shoots from them be 12 to 15 inches asunder. 

 Stopping rampant growths, and having some growth at the extremity of the fruiting 

 shoot are imperative, and will be readily comprehended by examination of the illus- 

 tration (Fig. 46) on the next page. 



Disbudding should be performed so soon as the growths can be taken hold of with 

 the finger and thumb, selecting the best situated and most promising for training-in ; 

 these ought to be on the sides of the branches, rubbing off those next the wall and on 

 the face of the branches, reserving no more than are essential for forming the trees and 

 furnishing them with bearing wood. Never allow growths of a useless character to 

 be made. Pinching, for reasons before given, must be practised on all growths requiring 

 it whilst young, not permitting more than two joints to be made beyond the stopping 

 point before shortening the shoot. It is important for the proper swelling of the fruit 

 that every shoot or spur have growth beyond or level with the cherries. 



Winter Pruning the Morello. As the trees are usually grown against north walls and 

 the fruit often hangs until October, the general pruning is frequently deferred until Feb- 

 ruary or March. Circumstances often cause deviation from correct practice, and pruning 

 Morello cherries in severe weather is not commendable. The growths that have borne fruit 



