EFFECTS OF NOTCHING 169 



Notching into the wood above a bud tends to 

 produce strong growth from that bud. Notch- 

 ing just through the bark above a bud, tends to 

 weaken the bud, because the root-sap is not 

 stopped and the elaborated sap is stopped. 

 Notching into the wood below a bud tends to 

 pile up reserve materials at the bud and thereby 

 to induce fruit -bear ing. Notching just through 

 the bark below a bud tends to pile up tissue at 

 the bud, but since the root -sap is not cut off, the 

 bud may use this tissue in rapid growth, and 

 fruit-bearing, therefore, may not be induced. (See 

 remarks on page 162.) 



Girdling or ringing (practice discussed in Chap- 

 ter V.) tends to develop fruit -buds above the 

 girdle. Bending the shoot to a horizontal or 

 deflexed position tends to lessen growth, per- 

 haps because of its position, but chiefly because 

 of the kinking or modification of the tissues 

 at the bend. 



The following extracts from recent studies by 

 Knopmann* give a clear conception of the effects 

 of notching: 



"Notches are made on twigs of one year's growth or more, 

 to influence a particular bud in various ways, or they are 



*Karl Koopmann,"Elementarlehren aus dem Gebiete des Baumschnitts" 

 in Laiuhvirtschaftliche Jahrbiicher, xxv. (1896), heft 4 u. 5. Koopmann's 

 studies in pruning have been commended by state and society medals. 

 This memoir gives copious references to the German literature of prun- 

 ing. A most significant conclusion of this extensive study of special 

 methods of pruning-treatments is the following sentence (which the 



