35 



of the plant to certain definitive areas, and to concentrate the formation 

 of fruit on the plant to certain desirable positions. In the growing of 

 out-door cucumbers pruning is not practised, so far as I am aware, but 

 it might be in some instances to advantage. 



The two common methods of 

 training are known as the single 

 and double shoot systems. In 

 either case the laterals which 

 arise from the main shoot are 

 treated in the same manner. In 

 the single-shoot system a leader 

 is allowed to grow together with 

 all the laterals or axillary 

 branches which normally occur 

 in the axil of each leaf. As a 

 rule, fruit sets in the first axils 

 of the laterals, and in case this 

 happens the laterals are pruned 

 or the bud nipped at the second 

 leaf on each lateral (see Fig. 2, c). 

 By nipping the bud or shoot at c, 

 a new lateral will form at this 

 point, which, if allowed 

 to grow, will form an- 

 : other axillary branch, 

 \ which will set fruit as 

 -Sf a rule in the first axil, 

 as shown in the figure. 

 The new lateral can be 

 treated in the same way 

 as the others, i.e., it can 

 be cut or nipped back 

 at c'. As new laterals 

 are formed they can be pruned iu 

 a like manner, as a result of which 

 we will have axillary branches of 

 the first, second, third order, etc., 

 bearing fruit in their first axils. 

 Sometimes, however, fruit does 

 not set in the first axils of the 

 laterals, but may in the second 

 or third axils. In that case the 

 lateral is nipped at the "first leaf 

 beyond, or at the third or fourth 

 node of the lateral. By this 

 method of pruning there is a 

 concentration of fruit on the plant to parts near the main shoot; for if 

 the laterals were allowed to grow, they would as a rule produce fruit 

 only in every seventh axil, as is the case with the main shoot. From 



^s^ 



Fig. 2. — Showing ihe single-ehoot cucum- 

 ber plant, with fruit set In the flrHt axil» of 

 the laterals. The laterals are pruned at c. 

 The dotted lines represent a new lateral, or 

 tertiary branch, formed on an axillary, which 

 is also nipped at c^. 



