56 FRUIT TREES. 



fig. 36. The terminal bud reserved at the top should 

 be on the side opposite to that on which the graft has 

 been placed upon the stock at B, in order to maintain 

 the perpendicular direction of the stem. 



This mode applies to young trees taken from the 

 nursery, whether of two or three years' grafting, as 

 shown by figures 36 and 37. 



In the latter instance, whatever lateral branches 

 have grown upon the stem below the cut are taken off 

 very close to the stem, leaving always the small founda- 

 tion of the branch upon the stem. 



If, while the young trees have stood in the nursery, 

 they have received such attention that the base of the 

 stem is already provided with a sufficient number of 

 lateral branches (fig. 38), such as we would wish to 

 obtain as the results of the first pruning, we apply to 

 them the operations described further on for the second 

 pruning, but always one year after transplantation. 

 It is essential to guard against their bearing fruit at 

 this early period, or they will be debilitated. 



During the summer which follows the first pruning, 

 all the buds develop vigorously. When they have 

 obtained a length of four or five inches, we disbud, 

 that is, cut off all the buds from the lower part of the 

 stem to a foot from the ground. From among the 

 buds situated above that point, we reserve six or more 

 of those most regularly placed, but only one at each 

 point. The terminal bud must be maintained in its 

 place by means of a " tutor," or small support fixed at 

 the top of the stem. 



Watch carefully that the lateral buds maintain an 



