108 



Elementary Principles of Agriculture 



157. How to Distinguish Flower Buds. Flower buds 

 are formed the same season that the leaf buds are, 

 though it is not always easy to distinguish the two kinds 

 till some time after the fall of the leaves. The position of 

 the bud is often an indication of its kind. We notice, 

 in the plum twigs illustrated in Fig. 51, that the flower 

 buds are on the side of the leaf buds. We also noticed 

 that the flower buds were found 



only on the wood of last season's 

 growth. The "bearing wood" of the 

 peach, plum, and other similar stone 

 fruits, is formed in the season before 

 the flowers appear. Good crops of 

 fruit cannot be had from trees of 

 this class unless sufficient bearing 

 wood is made the preceding season. 

 In the case of the apple, pear, 

 nuince, etc., the flower buds are 

 formed less regularly. They occur 

 on the ends of small side branches 

 that are from two to five years 

 old. The shape and place of appear- sen - 

 ance of the flower buds vary very much in the differ- 

 ent classes of fruits. It is important that one should 

 know how to recognize them and to know the time of 

 their formation as well. It often gives valuable informa- 

 tion as to how and when to cultivate and prune. For 

 illustration, take the grape. The flower clusters are 

 found on the current spring shoots, hence we prune 

 heavily to promote the formation of new wood. 



158. Formation of Flower Buds. In plants that are 

 esteemed for their flowers or fruits, it is desirable to 

 know all the conditions that promote the formation of 



Fig. 52. Diagram of a 

 section through a bud. 

 V, the apex; 1, 2, 3, 4, 

 successively older leaf 

 rudiments; A, B, C t suc- 

 cessively older branch 

 rudiments; D, E, vascu- 

 lar bundles. After Han- 



