- ' 1 * ' ' % 



230 TREATMENT OF THE 



abundance of sap, but when the shoot was 

 taken away as described, a sudden check 

 was thereby given to the new wood which 

 was situated near to the shoot removed, for 

 the channels of such remaining wood cannot 

 always admit the extra portion of sap which 

 is so suddenly deprived of that, in which it 

 was to have been expended; and thus the 

 sap accumulating at the entrance into the 

 shoots, chokes up the passages into them, 

 and the wood being deprived of its proper 

 nourishment, becomes stunted, and if there 

 be a wound or bruise near to such a place, 

 gum will ooze therefrom, which weakens the 

 tree, and is generally followed by canker. 

 But by attending to the directions given, 

 any sudden check is prevented, and the sap 

 wiil be regularly distributed to the good 

 shoots which are to remain as a supply for 

 next year, v and to support the fruit of the 

 present year. For the vessels of the new 

 shoots will more readily expand at such an 

 early stage of their growth than at a more 

 advanced season. The preceeding remarks 

 apply to theoccasional luxuriant shoots which 

 push in a regular bearing tree, arid not to a 

 tree whose established habit is luxuriant. 

 (Directions for the treatment of a tree of tlie 

 latter kind are given in theChapter, on treatment 

 of vigorous trees.) 



As soon as the fruit is stoned the second 

 regulation of the shoots must be performed. 



