BRANCHES. 



33 



on the apple and pear, there are different 

 forms of the fruit-branch. 



In the first place the fruit-spur (fig. 13), a 

 group of buds like a bouquet ; these are little 

 stunted branches on the older wood that have 

 assumed this form. The most important fruit- 

 branches of these trees are the vigorous shoots 

 of last season's growth, containing both fruit- 

 and wood-buds (fig. 14), and the slender fruit- 

 branches, bearing all single fruit-buds, except 

 a wood-bud or two at the base. Fig. 15, 

 represents such a branch 

 of the peach, A and B 

 being wood-buds. The 

 fruit - branches of the 

 plum and cherry, and 

 the gooseberry and cur- 

 rant are similarly pro- 

 duced. A yearling shoot 

 for instance, the second 

 season, will produce a 

 shoot from its terminal 

 bud, and probably shoots from two or three 

 other buds immediately below the terminal, 

 whilst those lower down will be transformed 

 into fruit-buds, and produce fruit the third 

 season. Fig. 16 is a branch of the cherry. A 

 is the two-year-old wood ; B, one year ; C and 

 J9, fruit-spurs on the two-year-old wood, with 

 a wood-bud usually at the point. Fig. 17 is a 

 fruit spur from the older wood ; A, the wood- 

 bud at its point. Fig. 18 is a branch of the 

 plum ; A, the two-year-old wood ; J5, one year 



Fig. 14, mixed wood and fruit-branches of the peach ; B, C, D, 2?, fruit-buds ; 

 F, G, H, leaf-buds ; J, double buds ; (7, triple buds, the two side buds being fruit- 

 buds, and the center one, a leaf-bud. 



2* 



Fig. 13. FRUIT-SPUR OP 



THE PEACH ON THE OLD 

 WOOD. 



