50 



THE FRUIT-TREE AND SHRUB PRUNER. 



trained Fig for a late summer crop only, as is shown in 

 Fig. 43, a, which crop may be considerably increased in 

 size and facilitated in ripening by stopping the laterals 

 b b b, as shown in c c c. The advantage^ derived from 

 this stopping one eye above the fruit is apparent in the 

 difference between Fig. 43, leader a, and leader d, the 

 laterals and the fruit thereon being of the same age. 

 This stopping must be done as soon as the last fruit is 

 fairly shown, one eye above it. The fruit then begins 

 at once to swell off. 



Fig. 42. 



Some do not prune the Fig more than the summer 

 stopping, but in such cases the trees get so bulky, and 

 beyond what is neat and good-looking for a good 

 garden, that some winter pruning is undoubtedly 

 necessary. To such I would say, shorten in and thin 

 out during the winter or spring, the latter being pre- 

 ferable. No great loss of fruit will be incurred if a 

 reserve is made of such branches as contain an abun- 

 dance of short fruit laterals, but cutting back and 



