252 PRUNING FRUIT TREES 



the top bud of the shoot is sure not to be a 

 bloom bud. I scarcely need remark, that when 

 there is not a bud to shoot above the bloom, 

 although the fruit may set and swell till it gets 

 to a tolerable size, it will nevar come to perfec- 

 tion ; at the same time, by cutting back a 

 sufficient quantity of young wood, or the last 

 year's bearers, the body of the tree may always 

 be kept well supplied with bearing wood. 



In the winter pruning, it is likewise necessary 

 to free the trees of some of the most unfruitful 

 wood, and such of the old that is unserviceable, 

 to make room for the young bearing wood ; and 

 I wish particularly to impress on the minds of 

 my readers, the necessity, I say absolute ne- 

 cessity, if you wish to preserve the health of the 

 trees, of removing all little dead snags, and take 

 care that your knife is sharp, and remove them 

 clean until you cut to a sound place ; for simple 

 as those little snags may appear, they frequently 

 cause the tree to canker, and the constitution 

 of the tree (if I may use the term) to become 

 diseased ; and if any blister or canker appears, 

 do not fear to use the knife, and make it clean 



