SPURRING. 59 



previously pushed, but from the old spurs 

 having been allowed to remain; they had not 

 received a due degree of support, and for 

 want of it, and a proper admission of sun 

 and air had perished. I have frequently 

 observed this to be the case, and when such 

 old spurs have been removed, there has 

 been afterwards at such places, vacancies 

 which always ought to be avoided as they 

 look unsightly, and more particularly so 

 when the spurs are far distant from each other. 

 Whenever one of the embryos prematurely 

 breaks, (that is, before the old spur is cut 

 down) always be careful to preserve it, by 

 immediately taking away a part of the old 

 spur in order to give it strength, and admit 

 a suitable portion of sun and air to it. 

 Another advantage is derived by taking 

 away the spur at an early state, viz. that 

 the wound caused by cutting off the spur, 

 is not so large as otherwise it would be, and 

 it is also much sooner healed, and becomes 

 nearly even with the branch from which the 

 spur was removed; and thus those large 

 protuberances which are so very generally 

 to be seen, are avoided, and the beauty, 

 regularity, and fruitfulness of the tree is 

 increased. 



In some kinds of fruit trees (which is no- 

 ticed in the Chapter on the treatment of t 

 each) when the spur is cut down at an early 

 period, the young spur which is produced is 



