156 FRUIT TREES. 



These branches, therefore, must be preserved, and 

 pruned at A. 



Some of the buds more favourably situated produce 

 more vigorous branches, and bear only wood-buds (fig. 

 134) for three or four inches from their base upwards. 

 These must be cut above the second bud, in order to 

 produce the result before described. 



B 



Fig. 136. Irregular Branch, without Buds at Base. 



If the shoots are still more vigorous than those which 

 produce both wood and fruit buds, they will resemble 

 fig. 135, and will produce wood -buds only, with, per- 

 haps, one flower or so at the top. These must be cut 

 above the second wood-bud from the base. If not cut 

 low down, they will not produce new shoots at their 

 base, and their extended growth will weaken, and per- 

 haps destroy them. 



In speaking of gourmand shoots, we referred to 

 irregular shoots. If the gourmand shoots have been 

 pinched off at too great length, they give place the fol- 

 lowing winter to irregular branches (fig. 136). These 

 branches differ in structure from any that we have at 



