160 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



every summer, and shorten them to the height named every autumn. The laterals will 

 need stopping and spurring in. (See " Pruning.") 



Cordon Trees. Single or double cordons for walls or fences are easily formed by 

 cutting back a young plant with a strong shoot to 12 inches from the ground ; train one 

 shoot from it upright the following year, pinch the side growths, shorten the upright 

 shoot to 9 inches in the autumn, and the laterals to \ inch of their base. Repeat in the 

 following season, and so on till the cordon attains the height required ; then keep the 

 growths closely spurred. A double cordon has two main stems trained 9 inches apart, 

 the leaders and side growths being treated as advised. 



Pruning. There are two kinds of pruning, summer and winter. Summer pruning is 

 of essential value, as by shortening the growths their base buds are fed, and the fruit is 

 improved in size and quality. Some growths, however, are necessary to maintain activity 

 at the roots and elaborate the sap, yet crowding causes poor foliage, weak wood, and 

 light crops of fruit ; moreover, the growing shoots of currants are often infested with 

 aphides, which spoil the fruit by their secreting so-called '' honey dew." These pests are 

 to a great extent got rid of by summer pruning, if the primings are promptly burned. 

 The process consists in stopping the branch extension growths to 9 or 12 inches, according 

 to their vigour, and the side growths to five or six joints, operating about midsummer 

 a few days sooner or later, as the season is early or late. Full-grown bushes need the 

 extremity shoots pinched the same as the side growths. Other growths may follow the 

 pinching; it is not necessary to restrict them, unless they produce more than two or three 

 leaves and are infested with aphides ; then pinch off their ends at one or two joints. Avoid 

 crowding any shoots that may be intended to replace worn-out branches. Summer 

 pruning admits light and air to the interior of the bushes, and, if rightly practised, 

 undoubtedly promotes fruitfulness. This, with the methods adopted, are shown in the 

 illustration. 



Winter pruning consists in cutting back all side and spur shoots to within 

 | inch of their base. Some persons cut to a single bud, less than | inch ; others leave three 

 buds, an inch. Red and white currants, however, submit to close pruning to basal 

 buds (not below them) without prejudice to fruit or shoots, and keeping the spurs close 

 to the branches prevents overcrowding. The shoots at the extremities of the branches 

 require shortening to 6 inches if weakly, or to 8 or 9 inches when strong. More than 

 6 to 9 inches of growth is apt to cause the branches to be too sparsely furnished with 

 spurs for bearing, and too weak to support the weight of fruit. Bushes in full bearing 



