FRUITS AND SEEDS 235 



followed by a damp, cool, and sunless summer, then the period 

 of leaf production will never really come to an end. In such 

 a case the plant uses the greater portion of the assimilated 

 matter for the further development of its leaves, i.e., for the 

 increase of its leafy tissues, and there is generally no opportunity 

 for storing up the large amount of reserve material necessary for 

 the production of flowers. In the case of our trees, we may also 

 observe that the formation of fruits is not commenced in the 

 earlier years of their growth, when the trees are occupied with 

 the development of their crown. Oaks generally attain an age 

 of fifty years, pines forty years, firs twenty years, and our fruit- 

 trees, with artificial aid, twelve or fifteen years before the 

 development of new branches has so far abated as to allow 

 the formation of short flowering shoots to take place. Only 

 when this youthful period of life is over does the apical growth 

 of the branches cease at the proper period and sufficient nutri- 

 ment is stored up in the axis. The greater the number of 

 leaves on each shoot, the larger will be the amount of food 

 matter stored up. In the case of plants, therefore, in which 

 we desire to increase the number of flowering buds, our method 

 of cultivation must aim at producing as large a number of 

 leaves as possible, and at giving them a sufficient time for 

 assimilation. But we must also ensure a period of rest at 

 the right time. 



These conclusions, drawn from daily experience, will enable 

 us now to criticise the treatment of our dwarf and trained 

 fruit-trees. We can now see why, in many cases where 

 the branches are well trained, few or no flower-buds make 

 their appearance. The careless pruning of the branches in the 

 summer, and the too frequent pinching off of the tips, stimulate 

 many of the buds which should not develop till next year 

 to grow out prematurely. The tree exhausts its forces, there- 

 fore, in the production of new shoots without retaining the 

 leaves long enough to produce the requisite amount of food 

 material. We have already touched upon this point in speak- 

 ing of the treatment of shoots. 



To annuals and biennials the same rules apply as to shrubs 

 and trees, but we are not able here to correct the faults of 

 one year in a subsequent season. We must remember here 



