132 STATE POMOIvOGICAI, SOCIETY. 



It has, however, the further very marked advantag-e of inducing 

 the development of fruit buds near the body of the tree rather 

 than far out on tlie limbs. This, in the case of pkmis and tender 

 wooded plants, is an important consideration. 



Fruit bearing is determined more by habitual performance and 

 by the condition of the plant than by the kind or extent of prun- 

 ing. In other words, it is to a certain extent an individual char- 

 acteristic. Pruning may, however, be made a means of thinning 

 the fruit and thus improving both the size and quality of that 

 which remains, by removing shoots upon which fruit-buds are 

 borne. 



But here it is important that the operator knows the manner in 

 which the plant bears its flower-buds. Heading back the annual 

 growth thins peaches, quince, raspberries, blackberries, black 

 currants, and to a certain extent, red and white currants and 

 grapes, all of which develop flower-buds on the wood of the last 

 season. With the apple and pear, of course older limbs must 

 be removed. 



Pruning, by thinning the fruit, may have a very important, 

 though indirect effect in controlling the bearing year of many 

 plants. If an individual fruit spur be carefully studied, it will 

 be seen that there is usually an alteration in fruit bearing for 

 the reason that the demands made by the fruit are so great that 

 a fruit-bud cannot develop the same year. So in the bearing 

 year, a leaf-bud develops to continue the spur the following 

 year; and this following or barren year, a fruit-bud is devel- 

 oped for the succeeding year. Alternate years fruit bearing 

 is then largely a question of food supply. If we wish to make 

 a tree bear every year, it is necessary either to supply more food 

 material, or to remove a portion of the fruit. 



Since in large fruits one spur bears one fruit, the alternate 

 bearing of individual spurs will continue and it will be neces- 

 sary to remove all of the fruit from individual spurs, thereby 

 allowing a portion of the spurs to bear one year and others the 

 next. It is doubtful, however, if any amount of thinning can 

 produce an annual bearing habit unless the trees receive other 

 necessary good care. It is probable that the better course to 

 pursue in attempting to get fruit every year, is to change the 

 bearing year of entire plants through a part of the orchard and 



