416 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



tain desirable p(3sitions. In the growing of outdoor cucum- 

 bers pruning is not practised, so far as I am aware, but it 

 mio'ht be in some instances to advantaoe. 



The two common methods of training are known as the 



single and double shoot 

 systems. In either case the 

 laterals which arise from the 

 main shoot are treated in 

 the same manner. In the 

 single-shoot system a leader 

 is allowed to grow together 

 with all the laterals or ax- 

 illarj^ branches which nor- 

 mally occur in the axil of 

 each leaf. As a rule, fruit 

 sets in the first axils of the 

 laterals, and in case this 

 happens the laterals are 

 pruned or the bud 

 I nipped at the sec- 

 %:) \ ond leaf on each lat- 

 f'K) eral (see Fig. 2, c). 

 By nipping the bud 

 or shoot at c, a new 

 lateral will form at 

 this point, which, if 

 allowed to grow, 

 will form another axillary 

 branch, which will set fruit 

 as a rule in the first axil, as 

 shown in the figure. The 

 new lateral can be treated 

 in the same way as the 

 others, i.e., it can be cut or 

 nipped back at c^. As new 

 laterals are formed they can 

 be pruned in a like manner, 

 as a result of which we will have axillary branches of the 

 first, second, third order, etc., bearing fruit in their first 



Fig. 2. — Showing tbe Bingleshoot cuciim- 

 Iier plant, with fruit set iu tlie flrst axils of 

 the laterals. The laterals are pruned at c. 

 The dotted lines represent a new lateral, or 

 tertiary branch, formed on an axillary, v.-hich 

 is also nipped at c'. 



