Top-working Fruit Trees 



161 



trees that have made a growth of 12 

 to 18 inches make excellent cions. The 

 question is often asked as to the use of 

 watersprouts. The term ' ' watersprout ' ' 

 may mean different things to different 

 persons. By watersprouts we generally 

 mean rank growth from adventitious 

 buds; and such growths with immature 

 tips, weak buds far apart, and pithy 

 centers make very poor cion wood. 

 Otherwise, any new wood with well- 

 developed buds comparatively close to- 

 gether may be used for cions. The 

 statement sometimes made that water- 

 sprouts never produce fruit is errone- 

 ous. Figure 52 shows the difference 

 between good and poor cion wood. 



Cion wood should be gathered in the 

 fall, preferably as soon as the leaves 

 have fallen, and stored until spring. 

 The object is not to avoid winter in- 

 jury, as some think, but to keep the 

 cions in a dormant condition. Few 

 realize that buds complete the resting 

 period early in the winter and under 

 favorable conditions may begin to swell 

 before the first of January. While the 

 unobserving man may say that there 

 is no difference in the buds of the 

 young growth in early December and 

 in February, there may be a marked 



FIG. 52. Good and 

 Poor Cion Wood. 

 Good on the Right, 



