GROWING AND FRUITING HABITS 399 



A Classification of Plants According to Bearing Habits. — Since the 

 flower bud itself is either terminal or lateral, there are six main types of 

 fruiting, six distinct bearing habits, the classification being based upon 

 the location of the fruit buds and the type of flower-bearing structure to 

 which they give rise. These six main groups together with the more 

 important of the fruits they include are shown in the accompanying 

 diagram. 



There are endless variations within these main groups; certain 

 species or varieties sometimes bear in one way and sometimes in another, 

 or in two or more ways at the same time. 



The following discussion points out some of the peculiarities of the 

 more important fruits. Several special groups also are included to bring 

 together those fruits having in their bearing habits certain peculiarities 

 that make it desirable to consider them separately from the main groups 

 to which they might be referred. 



Group I. — Fruit buds borne terminally, containing flower parts only 

 and giving rise to inflorescences without leaves. 



None of the common deciduous fruits has this bearing habit. It is best 

 illustrated perhaps by the loquat and the mango (see Fig. 39). Growth is con- 

 tinued by branches rising from lateral buds below the inflorescence; some of these 

 branches form terminal buds for a succeeding crop. The indications are that in 

 the mango fruit bud differentiation does not take place long before the flowering 

 season and sometimes two, three or even four crops of flowers are formed during 

 the year, though this is not hkely if there is a good set of fruit which is carried 

 through to maturity. In case some accident happens to the terminal flower bud 

 of the mango, some of the a.xillary buds may differentiate flower parts and thus 

 form fruit buds. 



Group II. — Fruit buds borne terminally, unfolding to produce 

 leafy shoots that terminate in flower clusters. 



This bearing habit is characteristic of most of the pome fruits and is 

 found likewise in a few others of minor economic importance. 



In the apple and pear most of the terminal fruit buds are on spurs, 

 (see Fig. 40) though in young vigorous trees of certain varieties many 

 of the long shoots form terminal flower buds. Seldom, however, is any 

 considerable percentage of the crop borne in this latter way. The fruit 

 buds of these plants are mixed and invariably give rise to very short 

 growths with a few short internodes, leaves of ordinary size and a lateral 

 branch (sometimes two or more) arising in the axil of one of the leaves; this 

 branch may bear fruit the following season, though usually fruit bud 

 formation is delayed a year or more. The spur may live a great many 

 years and bear repeatedly. The actual records of individual spurs 

 generally show an irregularly alternate bearing habit. New spurs origi- 

 nate from lateral buds on shoots of the preceding season and occasionally 

 from latent or adventitious buds on the trunk or older limbs. The 



