210 



BUDS 



The formation of flower buds is known to be closely related to 

 the food supply. 1 Flower buds are formed in greatest abundance 

 when there is more reserve food than is needed for growth. When 

 a plant is growing rapidly and using all the food as fast as the 



m 



FIG. 190. Fruit buds of the 

 Apricot, in which case a fruit bud 

 contains a single flower and no 

 leaves. After Bailey. 



leaves make it, few flower 

 buds are formed. Further- 

 more, if a tree has exhausted 

 its food supply in producing 

 a heavy crop of fruit, not 

 many flower buds are 

 formed, and as a result the 

 tree will bear very little fruit 

 the following year. Any con- 

 dition that leads to an ac- 

 cumulation of reserve food, 

 such as checking growth by 

 the removal of terminal buds 

 or by cutting down the water 

 supply from the roots, favors 

 the formation of flower buds. 



FIG. 191. Twig of the Crab Apple 

 at time of blooming. The terminal shoot 

 (a) has developed from a leaf bud, no 

 flowers being produced, while the lateral 

 shoots (6) have come from mixed buds, 

 both leaves and flowers having been 

 produced. 



1 Studies in Fruit Bud Formation. Technical Bulletin 9, New Hampshire 

 College Agr. Exp. Sta., 1915. 



Some Effects of Pruning, Root Pruning, Ringing and Stripping on the For- 

 mation of Fruit Buds on Dwarf Apple Trees. Technical Bulletin 5, Virginia 

 Agr. Exp. Sta., 1915. 



