42 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION, 



ing the surface firm. The upper roots should not be 

 buried deeper than 3in., and the soil be made firm. Loosely 

 secure the branches to the wall, and mulch the soil with 

 rotten manure. 



Mode of Bearing. The Apricot bears its fruit on shoots 

 of the preceding year's growth ; also on spurs on the older 

 growths. To ensure fruit, however, being borne on 

 the last year's growths, they must be well ripened or wood 

 buds only will be the result. (See Fig. 14, p. 43.) 



Summer Pruning. This is more important than winter 

 pruning, and upon the success with which it is carried 

 out will depend the future bearing condition of the tree. 



The first step in summer pruning is technically called 

 *' disbudding," and means the removal of superfluous 

 shoots. Thus, for instance, any young shoots a couple 

 of inches long or less which grow cut of the front of the 

 branches, and are called " foreright shoots," are of no ser- 

 vice to the tree, and these must be pulled off with the 

 finger and thumb. Then, on the sides of the branches, 

 any young shoots which have a weakly appearance, or 

 are likely to overcrowd promising stronger ones, should 

 be similarly removed. Later on, the young shoots re- 

 tained will have to be carefully examined. Select the 

 strongest of these to form future branches, and lay them 

 in between the older growths, fixing them in position by 

 means of a twig rather than nailing them to the wall. 

 Those not so promising should have their points removed 

 at the fourth leaf, and any subsequent growths from these 

 shortened to one leaf to form fruiting spurs, 



Those shoots laid in must not be shortened. It is im- 

 portant to bear in mind that the latter should not be 

 reserved at lesser intervals than a foot apart, otherwise 

 overcrowding would result. Sometimes very strong, gross 

 shoots will develop, in which case remove these entirely, 

 retaining only the sturdier growths. In the case of cordons, 

 all young shoots, except the leading one, should be shortened 

 to the fourth leaf to form fruiting spurs. 



