,o6 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



the shoots on the lowest part of the strong shoots, and, conversely, on the highest 

 part of the weaker shoots. With careful manipulation the sap may be caused 

 to flow evenly and produce a well-balanced tree. Aside from its appearance, 

 more fruit can be grown on an evenly-balanced tree than on a lop-sided one. 



Pinching and disbudding require deep thought, and must be done by a man 

 with good judgment, who loves his calling. A tree that has been properly 

 pinched and disbudded, with all the old and useless wood removed after the 

 fruit is gathered, will need very little Winter pruning. If all the useless wood 

 is pruned away directly after the fruit is gathered, it relieves the tree of that 

 surplus burden, to the decided advantage of the remaining wood. The sap 

 can then run through those branches on which the success of the following season 

 depends. 



The main object in pinching and disbudding is to leave enough shoots 

 to furnish the tree for the following season. Much of the success one year 

 depends on what has been done or left undone the year previous. Therefore, 

 enough young shoots should remain on the tree, so that when tied into shape 

 the young wood is about five inches apart, with plenty of room for development. 

 It is easy to ascertain when the old wood must be cut away, after the fruit is 

 gathered. The terminal shoot may be pinched at the fourth or fifth leaf, thus 

 allowing more space for the young wood, with no damage to the other. The 

 ideal tree will be furnished equally all around, from top to bottom, and this 

 can be brought about by carefully regulating the flow of the sap. The best 

 way to do this is to be cautious in the selection of the shoots. Many will have 

 to be pinched, instead of being rubbed ofF, on account of the fruit. This, how- 

 ever, is no detriment, but rather an advantage, as it gives room for the forma- 

 tion of spurs here and there over the tree. 



After the operation of disbudding comes that of tying the shoots loosely to 

 the trellis. This need not be done until they have made a growth of a foot or 

 more, but before the wood gets set or stubborn. It is not at all necessary to 

 pinch or stop those shoots; rather allow them to make their full season's growth. 

 But any shoot that becomes unusually rank, as often happens even in the most 

 skilled hands, should be cut away entirely. 



A tree that is making a satisfactory growth needs tying at intervals during 

 the season. If the shoots are found to be crowding one another, one may be 

 stopped here and there, but this depends on circumstances. The general prin- 

 ciple is, to allow the shoot to make the season's growth unchecked. In our 

 climate there will always be a plentiful supply of fruit buds for each succeeding 

 season, if the wood has adequate space for development; but when too much 

 wood is crowded in, we get blind wood, or at least more wood buds than fruit 

 buds. These two can be readily told apart. Nor can a multitude of fruit 

 be obtained from unripened wood, for then the blossoms probably will be weak 

 and liable to drop before the fruit sets. 



