MANUAL OF GENERAL AGEICULTUEE. 79 



ceasing to produce. If we head back a branch, the fruit- 

 ing area cannot be renewed until new branches are formed. 



A fruit spur irxay change its function and become a 

 branch, which in time may produce new fruit spurs. Ef 

 we prune away too much foliage bearing wood, the tree 

 restores the balance by changing spurs to branches. Ex- 

 amine branches and find examples of this. 



If we cannot head in and must avoid excessive prun- 

 ing, how, then, should we prune the pear? 



The Apple. The fruit bearing habit of the pear and 

 apple is practically the same. Examine an apple branch 

 and prove this. 



The Peach fruit bearing habit. In this case the fruit 

 is not borne on spurs, but directly on one-year-old 

 branches. Occasionally these branches are so short as to 

 look like spurs. On a branch which has grown this sea- 

 son, find a single node which has produced three leaves; 

 carefully remove the leaves and study the buds in their 

 axes. Next spring the two outer ones will try to produce 

 flowers and the middle one leaves. 



Notice the following : (1) Wood older than one year 

 bears no fruit. (2) The fruit is borne on the middle and 

 lower portions of one-year wood. (3) Only vigorous one- 

 year wood produces fruit in quantities. (4) The upper 

 buds tend to produce branches. (5) Compare the buds 

 on this season's wood with what came from the buds on 

 last season's wood. Draw a branch which has grown this 

 season (first removing the leaves) and indicate the nodes 

 at which fruit buds are being formed. 



Pruning. To produce fruit, we must have a vigorous 

 growth of new branches each year. How may we prune 

 the peach to secure this? 



The Cherry fruit bearing habit. In the cherry we 

 have fruit borne similar to the pear, and also similar to 

 the peach, that is, we find some fruit on one-year wood 

 and some on fruit spurs. Near the base of this season's 

 wood you will find single buds that are more plump than 

 those further up the branch; these will bear fruit next 

 year. There is no foliage or vegetative bud at this point, 



