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60 SPURRING. 



almost certain to form a fruit spur the first 

 year, and to be productive the second ; but 

 it very generally happens that when the 

 spur which has been cut down was old, 

 that the new spur will for two years produce 

 nothing but wood. The cause of this seems 

 to be, that when a spur is allowed to get 

 large, the removal 01 it gives a check to 

 such part, and when the embryo pushes 

 forth a great portion of the sap is expended 

 in the production of wood, instead of fruit 

 buds, which would not have been the case 

 had the pruning taken place at the proper 

 time, and thus a year or more would have 

 been gained in the production of fruit. 



The advantages to be derived from having 

 the spurs thus regularly shortened, are very 

 considerable. The health of the trees is 

 improved by it, and it renders them more 

 productive, and the fruit will be a greal deal 

 finer, and of a much better flavour; this will 

 soon be apparent when the practice is adopt- 

 ed. All these good effects are promoted, by 

 the fruitful part of the tree being brought 

 into close contact with the wall. When 

 the spurs are allowed to extend far from the 

 wall, they will sometimes have an abundance 

 of bloom upon them, but it generally drops 

 off, and a very small portion of fruit sets. 

 The reason is very obvious, the spurs being 

 so long and close together, the sun and air 

 (which are very essential to the tree at this 



