CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 425 



below the cut portion and the tree quickly become a mass of shoots. 

 If, however, the side shoots are pinched when a few inches long, and 

 those that eventually push from the side shoots themselves (called sub- 

 laterals) are pinched back to one leaf, the former will develop into fruit 

 spurs that is to say, blossom buds will form upon them. Once the 

 tree is well established, keep the top well open so that sun and air may 

 be freely admitted. To attain this object, all shoots that have a tendency 

 to grow inwards or across others should be pinched, as above advised. 

 Unduly vigorous shoots also need stopping, otherwise they destroy the 

 symmetry of the tree and render the weak snoots woefully unproductive. 

 Trees with branches crowded closely together and allowed to grow in 

 all directions cannot be expected to bear a good crop of fruit. 



Summer Pruning. This is certainly one of the most important 

 operations connected with the cultivation of the Apple. As before 

 mentioned, if the growing shoots are allowed to fully develop during the 

 summer, and then are pruned 

 back to two or three eyes in 

 winter, these dormant buds or 

 "eyes" will again most pro- 

 bably produce shoots the fol- 

 lowing year, and the result will 

 eventually be a tree crowded 

 with unproductive wood. If, 

 however, these growths in the 

 month of July are pinched be- FIG. 27. Root Pruning : Way to cut back 

 yond five or six leaves flower- a Root, 



buds will eventually form and 



the arrested shoot develop into a fruit spur. The object of the 

 cultivator should be to train the branches thinly, so that sun and air 

 may have free access to all parts, for this is the secret of success. 



Winter Pruning. This is not a troublesome task if the shoots were 

 pinched, as advised, during the summer. Cut these back to within 

 three or four buds of their base. All dead wood should be 

 removed. Wounds caused by canker disease should be pared 

 out clean, right down to live tissue, and then painted with white 

 lead or tar. The leading branches of Apple trees, and any shoots 

 intended to form new branches, where there is room, should be 

 left about 15 inches long. When exceptionally strong leave them 

 rather longer, and prune a little harder when weakly. When 

 shortening the leading outside branches, cut back to a good bud, on 

 the outside, otherwise next year's shoot might push towards the centre 

 of the tree. 



Root Pruning. Some varieties of Apple trees are naturally of 

 very strong growth, and sometimes, especially if the soil in which they 

 are planted is fairly rich, they make a large quantity of shoots which 

 produce no flowers. The reason for this is, that the roots of the tree 

 have gone down into the subsoil, and instead of producing numerous 

 small fibres, are simply " tap roots " that is, they are destitute of fibres, 



