168 FRUIT RANCHING. 



of the growtli, those least vigorous to be shortened 

 in the must. I'^xcrcise the same care in reference to 

 the terminal bud and manner of cut as before [the 

 cut should be made close to a bud, and should be 

 slightly diagonal, sloping downwards away from the 

 bud]. Care and judgment must be exercised in 

 selecting the position of the bud. If straight shoots 

 are desi^-ed, cut to inside buds for trees of a spreading 

 character, like the Greening; or for compact growers 

 like the Northern Spy, cut to outside buds. It is 

 best to cut outside buds on the side next the wind, 

 in order to throw the growth toward the wind, and 

 sometimes, on the opposite side of the same tree, it 

 will be necessary to cut inside buds to maintain an 

 evenly-balanced top. [This advice has no force in the 

 Kootenays, where there is as a rule very little 

 wind.] 



" The second year from planting the previous 

 season's growth should be headed back to about 

 twenty inches, the less vigorous to be pruned the 

 most. Keep the length of the cut [on the difTerent 

 branches] as nearly even as possible, varying, of 

 course, to suit the buds that come in the desired 

 positions. 



" Remove all cross branches and those having a 

 tendency to grow towards the centre of the tree, 

 except the fruit spurs. These should not be removed 

 even from the first year's growth. The fruit spurs 

 are thrown out straight from the trees, and look like 

 thorns, or the growth on seedlings. The mistake is 

 often made of removing these, and in consequence 

 leaving long, bare poles. 



" The third year from planting shorten back to 



