80 



Lessons in Fruit Growing. 



less become more and more difficult to refer tne varieties 

 to their proper species. 



95. Fruiting: habit. Tlie plums fruit mostly on spurs, 

 but as the flower buds are mainly lateral, the spurs do not 

 branch as in the pome fruits, but continue to grow from 

 their terminal bud, unless this also flowers or dies from lack 

 of light, when the spur perishes, becoming a thorn-like 

 branch. On the young shoots, a flower bud often forms on 

 either side of the buds in the axil of a leaf, but flowers from 

 these do not often form fruits. The spur-buds commonly 

 flower at the beginning of their second year (Fi 



The trees usually commence bear- 

 ing at two to three years after plant- 

 ing in the on^hard. 



9(i, Pruning:. The plum requires 

 little pruning except such as is needed 

 foy symmetry and to maintain a free, 

 open, hearl. The trees of some varie- 

 ties incline to split down, hence the 

 new growth should be kept well cut 

 back, and forks in the stem should 

 be carefully avoided. Many varieties 

 of Pruniis Americana tend to produce 

 very dense heads, which should be 

 thinned out by removing the smaller 

 branches. This tends to prevent over- 

 bearing, and to increase the size of 

 the fruit. 



97. Picking: plums 

 European class should be picked with 

 the stems, but the stems of most native varieties detach as 

 the fruit ripens. Plums should be handled as little as pos- 



Fia. 26. Fruiting branch 

 Plums of the of European pi um. (Adapted 

 from Bailey's Pruning Book.) 



